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glia

American  
[glahy-uh, glee-uh] / ˈglaɪ ə, ˈgli ə /

noun

Anatomy.
  1. neuroglia.


glia British  
/ ˈɡliːə /

noun

  1. Also called: neuroglia.  the delicate web of connective tissue that surrounds and supports nerve cells

"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

glia Scientific  
/ glēə,glīə /
  1. The delicate network of branched cells and fibers that supports the tissue of the central nervous system.


Other Word Forms

  • glial adjective

Etymology

Origin of glia

First recorded in 1885–90, glia is from the Late Greek word glía glue

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.

The healthy protein is anchored on the cell membranes of neurons and glia throughout the brain, although its best validated role is in maintaining myelination of peripheral nerves.

From Science Magazine

They also reported that a fraction of neural stem cells continue to produce glia after they have finished making neurons, a behavior similarly observed in other parts of the brain.

From Science Daily

"Our newly created fiber photometry method provides a gateway for understanding the physiology of glia."

From Science Daily

They also looked at the fly equivalent of microglia, called ensheathing glia, whose primary function is to remove neural debris, such as degenerating axons.

From Science Daily

By analyzing previously published data, researchers found that TKTL1 was mainly expressed in progenitor cells called basal radial glia, which give rise to most of the cortical neurons during development.

From Science Magazine