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We study how astrocytes shape the brain's capacity for resilience, repair, and recovery.
Our Mission
Every thought. movement, and memory depends on the efficient communication between neurons. When these connections are disrupted by stroke, aging, or neurological disease, the brain's ability to function, adapt, and recover can be profoundly affected.
For decades, neuroscience has focused primarily on neurons. However we now know that astrocytes are essential cell partners that help neurons develop, maintain, and remodel their connections, called synapses, throughout life and in response to disease and injury. Yet, they are still underexplored regulators of brain health and recovery.
Our laboratory investigates how astrocytes shape these processes across different brain regions and over time. We seek to understand how these cells promote resilience, support repair after injury, and influence brain's plasticity. Our research aims to reveal biological principles that may ultimately inform future strategies to preserve and restore brain function under different pathological conditions.
We thank our funding sources, the American Heart Association and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Astrocytes in Brain Plasticity
Astrocytes in Brain Plasticity
The adult brain has an extraordinary capacity to adapt throughout life. This ability, known as plasticity, underlies learning, memory, and recovery after injury. However, plasticity declines with aging and is often compromised in neurological disease. While neurons have traditionally been viewed as the primary drivers of plasticity, increasing evidence shows that astrocytes actively regulate how synapses are formed, remodeled, and stabilized.
For the past decade, we have investigated how astrocytes control the molecular mechanisms that support brain plasticity. By understanding how these cells influence synapse formation, maturation, and stabilization, we aim to identify pathways that could one day be targeted to enhance the brain's capacity to adapt and recover.
Our laboratory is currently investigating ketamine, an anesthetic best known for its effects on neurons and plasticity potential, to determine whether it also acts through astrocytes. Our research has revealed that ketamine alters the expression of astrocytic proteins involved in regulating brain plasticity. We are now exploring whether these molecular changes contribute to the brain's adaptive response after stroke and may reveal new therapeutic opportunities for promoting recovery.
Single molecule in situ fluorescence hybridization (smFISH) against Slc1a3 (astrocytes, in magenta) and our protein of interest (in yellow). Astrocytes increases the expression of the protein of interest in response to ketamine (image on the right). Credit: Andrea Berghella
Image of a spatial transcriptomics experiment using MERFISH on a coronal section of a mouse brain 7 days after focal stroke in the motor cortex. Credit: Dr. Blanco-Suárez, in collaboration with Dr. Schafer's lab (UMass).
Dendrites from two different neurons of a male mouse brain showing spines (red arrows) before and 1 day post-stroke (dps). Image taken with a high-resolution confocal microscope. Credit: Dr. Elena Blanco-Suárez.
Astrocytes in Brain Repair
Astrocytes in Brain Repair
The adult brain has a remarkable capacity to reorganize after stroke, yet spontaneous recovery is often incomplete. While neurons are essential for rebuilding damaged circuits, they do not act alone. Astrocytes play critical roles in coordinating the brain's response to injury.
Astrocytes have been studied for their roles in regulating neuroinflammation and forming the glial scar after stroke. We now recognize that their functions are far more complex. Astrocytes can both support and limit recovery, depending on the molecular pathways they activate, the brain region in which they are located, and the stage of recovery.
Our research investigates how astrocytes reactivate developmental mechanisms that normally promote synapse formation and stabilization. Following stroke, however, these same mechanisms can become dysregulated, ultimately restricting the brain's capacity for repair. We have identified molecular pathways that become overactive after injury and discovered that their effects are highly dependent on both brain region and time after stroke.
By understanding how astrocyte responses change across time and brain region, we aim to uncover the molecular mechanisms that drive adaptive plasticity and harness the brain's own capacity for repair.
Astrocytes in the Aging Brain
Astrocytes in the Aging Brain
The aging brain undergoes profound changes that increase the risk of cognitive decline and neurological disease. Although neurons have traditionally been the focus of aging research, astrocytes also undergo significant molecular and functional changes that can alter synaptic communication, reduce plasticity, and compromise cognitive function.
Our laboratory investigates how astrocytes change throughout aging and how these changes influence the brain's ability to maintain healthy neuronal communication. By identifying the molecular mechanisms that drive age-related astrocyte dysfunction, we aim to uncover strategies that preserve synaptic integrity, support cognitive resilience, and promote healthier brain aging.
Astrocytes expressing eGFP in the mouse cortex, used to study how their morphology changes across the lifespan. Credit: Dr. Bridget Boyle.
If you wish to donate and help our research mission, please visit:
https://givenow.sdsu.edu/Blanco-Suarez-Lab-Support-Fund
Thank you!
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