Intercellular Calcium Waves in Astrocytes by Joe Raquepas Department of Mathematics, University of Utah INSCC 110, 3:30pm Monday, October 19, 1998 Abstract The glial cell is the most numerous cell type in the central nervous system and is believed to play an important role in guiding brain development. In recent years, widespread communication between one type of glial cell known as the astrocyte, has been demonstrated, primarily in the form of intercellular calcium waves. In a mixed cultures of astrocytes and neurons, calcium waves have been observed to both excite neurons and to be induced by excited neurons. This suggests astrocytic calcium waves may form a mode of nonsynaptic communication in the central nervous system. At this time, however, the mechanisms driving the propogation of intercellular calcium waves in astrocytes have not been cleary elucidated. In this talk we will consider some unresolved modeling and experimental issues and some potentially interesting mathematical problems. Request for preprints and reprints to raquepas@math.utah.edu