astrocyte

American  

[as-truh-sahyt] / ˈæs trəˌsaɪt /

noun

Cell Biology.

1. a star-shaped neuroglial cell of ectodermal origin.

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astrocyte British  

/ ˈæstrəʊˌsaɪt /

noun

1. any of the star-shaped cells in the tissue supporting the brain and spinal cord (neuroglia)

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astrocyte Scientific  

/ ăs′trə-sīt′ /

1. A star-shaped cell, especially one of the glial cells that support the tissue of the central nervous system.

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Other Word Forms

• astrocytic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of astrocyte

First recorded in 1895–1900; astro- + -cyte

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

astrocyte

As Weber explains, "they send the newly formed nuclei of their daughter cells gliding across long distances to repopulate the damaged area of the brain and knit the astrocyte network back together."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026

Increasing Sox9 produced the opposite outcome, enhancing astrocyte activity, improving their structural complexity and promoting plaque removal.

From Science Daily ● May 2, 2026

When the team increased the amount of Sox9, a protein that influences many astrocyte functions during aging, the cells became more effective at removing amyloid deposits.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 23, 2025

The protective benefits suggested that strong astrocyte engagement may help slow the cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative disease.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 23, 2025

When the team administered the S3QEL compound to mice engineered to model frontotemporal dementia, they observed reduced astrocyte activation, lower levels of inflammatory gene expression, and a decrease in a tau modification linked to dementia.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2025