Title: Evolution and development of macroglia

Teacher: Carmen Falcone

Amount of frontal teaching: about 30

Description: The course will provide a general introduction on the functions of macroglia (i.e. astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) in health and disease, and will then focus on the evolution and development of such cells across vertebrates, with special attention to mammals. It will finally provide an overview of the state-of-the-art techniques used in the glial biology field. This course will also contribute to swift the neurono-centric view of brain development and evolution, to a more comprehensive neuro-glia perspective.

This course will include the following topics:

1. Introduction on astrocytes and oligodendrocytes cell functions in mammals

2. The origin of glia: insights from invertebrates, radial glia cells and ependymal cells

3. Astrocytes’ evolution across vertebrates: anatomy, morphology, transcriptome, and functions in health and disease

4. Astrocytes’ development in mammals: molecular mechanisms (special focus on mouse and human)

5. Oligodendrocytes’ evolution across vertebrates: anatomy, morphology, transcriptome, and functions in health and disease

6. Oligodendrocytes’ development in mammals: molecular mechanisms (special focus on mouse and human)

7. Overview on the state-of-the-art techniques used in glial biology