Adenosine, Adenosine Receptors, and the Regulation of Glial Cells in Neuronal Damage

Even though it would be interesting to cover many of the effects of adenosine on glial cells, we will, for reasons of space, focus on actions that are relevant in the context of neuronal damage following ischemia and related events. It is becoming increasingly clear that glial cells are very important in the events that determine whether an insult to the central nervous system will lead to major lasting damage or not. If glia play a prominent role in ischemia, and adenosine plays a role in modulating the outcome after ischemia, then at least some of its actions are likely to take place in glial cells.