List of contributors. <br>Preface. <br>Glial cell development: origin and phenotype acquisition.<br>1. Regulation of genes involved in Schwann cell development and differentiation<br>(R. Mirsky, D.B. Parkinson, Z. Dong, C. Meier, E. Calle, A. Brennan, P. Topilko, B. Harris, G. Zoidl, H.J.S. Stewart, K.R. Jessen). <br>2. Regulation of radial glia phenotype<br>(P. LePrince, G. Chanas-Sacre). <br>3. Astrocytic intermediate filaments: lessons from GFAP and vimentin knock-out mice<br>(M. Pekny). <br>4. Glial cells: a target for steroid hormones<br>(R.C. Melcangi, V. Magnaghi, M. Galbiati, L. Martini). <br>5. Thyroid hormone role on nervous system morphogenesis<br>(F.C.A. Carvalho, A. Gomes, F.R.S. Lima, A.G. Trentin, V. Moura Neto). <br><br>6. Early origin and colonization of the developing CNS by microglial precursors<br>(M.A. Cuadros, J. Navascués). <br>7. Microglia: its development and role as a neuropathology sensor<br>(E.A. Ling, Y.K. Ng, C.H. Wu, C. Kaur). <br>8. Colonisation of the human central nervous system by microglia: the roles of chemokines and vascular adhesion molecules<br>(D. Male, P. Rezaie). <br>Myelination, demyelination and remyelination.<br>9. Astrocyte influences on oligodendrocyte progenitor migration<br>(O. Schnädelbach, J.W. Fawcett). <br>10. Tenascin-R as a regulator of CNS glial cell function<br>(P. Pesheva, S. Gloor, R. Probstmeier). <br>11. Process extension and myelin sheet formation in maturing oligodendrocytes<br>(P.C. Buttery, C. ffrench-Constant). <br>12. Recent advances in human perinatal white matter injury<br>(S.A. Back). <br>13. Models for demyelination<br>(A. Van Der Goes, C.D. Dijkstra). <br>14. The response of adult oligodendrocyte progenitors to demyelination in EAE<br>(R. Reynolds, I. Cenci Di Bello, M. Dawson, J. Levine). <br>15. Neural precursors and demyelinating diseases<br>(L. Decker, F. Lachapelle, A. Baron-Van Evercooren). <br>16. What roles do growth factors play in CNS remyelination?<br>(R.J.M. Franklin, G.L. Hinks, R.H. Woodruff, M.T. O'Leary). <br>Glial-neuronal interactions.<br>17. Molecular mechanisms of interactions between radial glia and neurons<br>(B. McGrath, C. McCann, S. Eisenhuth, E.S. Anton). <br>18. Connexins and gap junctional communication in astrocytes are targets for neuroglial interaction<br>(N. Rouach, C. Giaume). <br>19. Glial signalling in response to neuronal activity in the leech central nervous system<br>(J.W. Deitmer, C. Lohr, F.C. Britz, J. Schmidt). <br>20. Glial cells as active partners in synaptic functions<br>(A. Castonguay, S. Lévesque, R. Robitaille). <br>21. Calcium signaling in retinal glial cells and its effect on neuronal activity<br>(E.A. Newman). <br>22. Neuron-astrocyte cross-talk during synaptic transmission: physiological and neuropathological implications<br>(P. Bezzi, M. Domercq, S. Vesce, A. Volterra). <br>23. Regulation of glutamate transporters in health and disease<br>(G. Gegelashvili, M.B. Robinson, D. Trotti, T. Rauen). <br>24. Ionotropic glutamate receptors in astrocytes<br>(G. Seifert, C. Steinhäuser). <br>25. Metabotropic glutamate receptors in freshly isolated astrocytes from rat hippocampus<br>(H.K. Kimelberg, M. Zhou, Z. Cai, G.P. Schools). <br>26. The pleiotropin/midkine family of cytokines: role in glial-neuronal signaling<br>(L. Haynes, M. Rumsby). <br>27. The nitric oxide/cyclic GMP system in astroglial cells<br>(M.A. Baltrons, A. García). <br>28. Glial diffusion barriers during aging and pathological states<br>(E. Syková). <br>Glial response to injury and molecular mechanisms of neuroprotection.<br>29. Glial cells responses to lysophospholipids bound to albumin in serum and plasma<br>(A. Nadal, E. Fuentes, P.A. McNaughton). <br>30. Glial activation in the immature rat brain: implication of inflammatory transcription factors and cytokine expression<br>(L. Acarin, B. González, B. Castellano). <br>31. Role of nuclear factor Kappa B in neuropathological mechanisms<br>(D.F. Cechetto). <br>32. Ischemia: astrocytes show their sensitive side<br>(R. Fern). <br>33. Adaptative responses of spinal astrocytes to oxidative stress<br>(P. Cassina, H. Peluffo, L. Barbeito). <br>34. Glial expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and oxygen regulated protein (ORPs)<br>(F.R. Sharp, M. Bernaudin, M. Bartels, K.R. Wagner). <br>35. Nitric oxide-mediated mitochondrial impairment in neural cells: a role for glucose metabolism in neuroprotection (J.P. Bolaños, P. García-Nogales, V. Vega-Agapito, M. Delgado-Esteban, P. Cidad, Á. Almeida). <br>36. Keeping TNF-induced apoptosis under control in astrocytes: PEA-15 as a "double key" on caspase-dependent and MAP-kinase dependent pathways<br>(D. Zvalova, E. Formstecher, M. Fauquet, B. Canton, H. Chneiweiss). <br>37. Astroglia play a key role in the neuroprotective actions of estrogen <br>(I. Azcoitia, D. Garcia-Ovejero, J.A. Chowen, L.M. García-Segura). <br>Inflammation and cytokine signalling<br>38. Cytokine-mediated inflammation and signaling in the intact central nervous system<br>(I.L. Campbell). <br>39. Inhibition of nitric oxide production for down-regulation of CNS inflammation and demyelination<br>(T. Brenner, F. Pinto, O. Abramsky, R. Gallily). <br>40. Chemokine targets in acute brain injury and disease<br>(D.C. Anthony, D. Blond, R. Dempster, V.H. Perry)<br>41. Microglial chemokines and chemokine receptors<br>(P.J. Gebicke-Haerter, O. Spleiss, L.-Q. Ren, H. Li, S. Dichmann, J. Norgauer, H.W.G.M. Boddeke). <br>42. The role of chemokines and chemokine receptors in CNS inflammation<br>(C.J.A. De Groot, M.N. Woodroofe). <br>43. Signals regulating neurotrophin expression in glial cells<br>(U. Otten, P. März, K. Heese, C. Hock, D. Kunz, S. Rose-John). <br>44. Microglial signalling cascades in neurodegenerative disease<br>(J. M. Pocock, A.C. Liddle). <br>Repair and regeneration.<br>45. Transcription factors in nerve regeneration<br>(P. Küry, F. Bosse, H.W. Müller). <br>46. The role of astrocytes in axonal regeneration in the mammalian CNS<br>(M. Giménez y Ribotta, V. Menet, A. Privat). <br>47. Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans: inhibitory components of the glial scar<br>(R.A. Asher, D.A. Morgenstern, L.D.F. Moon, J.W. Fawcett). <br>48. Axon regeneration across the dorsal root entry zone<br>(M.S. Ramer, S.B. McMahon, J.V. Priestley). <br>49. Transplants of olfactory bulk ensheathing cells promote functional repair of multiple dorsal rhizotomy <br>(J.S. Taylor, V.C. Muňetón-Gómez, R. EguRa-Recuero, M. Nieto-Sampedro). <br>50. Regulatable and cell-type specific transgene expression in glial cells: prospects for gene therapy for neurological disorders<br>(M. Castro, A. Hurtado-Lorenzo, P.Umana, J.R. Smith-Arica, A. Zermansky, E. Abordo-Adesida, R. Löwenstein). <br>Therapeutical approaches to tumours, viral and prion infections.<br>51. Immune escape of gliomas<br>(P.R. Walker, P.Y. Dietrich). <br>52. Clinical trials of adenoviral-mediated suicide gene therapy of malignant gliomas<br>(D. Nanda, M.J. Driesse, P.A.E. Sillevis-Smitt). <br>53. Gene therapy of glioblastomas: from suicide to homicide<br>(G. Finocchiaro). <br>54. Glial cells as targets of viral infection in the human central nervous system<br>(B. Schweighardt, W.J. Atwood). <br>55. Pathogenesis of prion diseases - possible implications of microglial cells<br>(F.L. Heppner, M. Prinz, A. Aguzzi). <br><br>