中文摘要：

探索大脑奥秘是人类永久的梦想.人类的大脑细胞由神经元和胶质细胞组成.100多年来,占人脑10%的神经元一直被认为是形成学习记忆、思维决策等大脑高级功能的主体脑细胞,而占人脑90%的胶质细胞被认为是仅仅对神经元起支持、营养、保护、清除等作用的配角脑细胞.但近年来对胶质细胞的主要亚细胞群——星形胶质细胞的功能已有崭新的认识.本文将讨论近年离体实验显示星形胶质细胞直接调控神经元突触信号传递的结果,分析星形胶质细胞调控睡眠的启示,评述我们最近在Cell发表的星形胶质细胞调控工作记忆的在体实验直接证据,并总结其科学意义：我们正处在神经科学研究历史长河中的一个重要时刻,即人类刚刚开启探索胶质细胞主控大脑高级功能.

英文摘要：

Exploring the secrets of the brain has long been a dream of neuroscientists. Our brains consist of neurons and glial cells, which comprise approximately 10% and 90% of total brain cells, respectively. During the past century, neurons have been regarded as the leading brain cells responsible for advanced brain functions such as learning and memory, whereas glial cells have been believed to be supporting brain cells providing supportive, nutritional, protective, and clearing contributions to neurons. However, recent studies have revealed novel functions of astroglial cells, the major subtype of glial cells. This review will discuss recent in vitro evidence showing the direct modulation of neuronal synaptic transmission by astroglial cells, evaluate the importance of astroglial regulation of sleep, analyze our recent in vivo data published in the 2012 March issue of Cell demonstrating direct regulation of working memory by astroglial cells, and comment on their scientific inspiration： we are now witnessing a crucial time in neuroscience research history in which mankind is starting to explore the active regulation of advanced brain functions by glial cells.