Astrocytes influence cortical synaptic plasticity during postnatal development. The computational study by Manninen et al. links for the first time the interactions of complex molecular and cellular mechanisms of a fine astrocyte process (yellow) with neuronal presynaptic (red) and postsynaptic (cyan) sites to the time window of spike-timing-dependent long-term depression. The astrocyte is sensing the postsynaptic release of endocannabinoid and is modulating the presynaptic release of glutamate via astrocytic glutamate exocytosis affecting presynaptic NMDA receptor-mediated second messenger cascades.

Image Credit: Marja-Leena Linne, Ausra Saudargiene, Tiina Manninen, Noora Pihlajarinne