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astrocyte

American

[as-truh-sahyt] / ˈæs trəˌsaɪt /

noun

Cell Biology.

a star-shaped neuroglial cell of ectodermal origin.

astrocyte British

/ ˈæstrəʊˌsaɪt /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

astrocyte Scientific

/ ăs′trə-sīt′ /

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

Other Word Forms

astrocytic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of astrocyte

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

Lower Sox9 levels led to faster plaque buildup, simpler astrocyte structure and reduced ability to clear amyloid deposits.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

Their attention centered on Sox9, a protein that influences a wide network of genes involved in astrocyte aging.

From Science Daily • Nov. 23, 2025

Using this method, Tsai and Murdock's team saw that gamma sensory stimulation indeed promoted changes consistent with increased astrocyte AQP4 activity.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2024

Windham and Cohen hypothesize that the altered composition of the lipid droplets could be causing astrocyte dysfunction and affecting the microglia's ability to clear amyloid beta.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023