Editors: Derek J. Chadwick (Organizer) and Jamie Goode.

This symposium was based on a proposal made by R. Douglas Fields.

R. Douglas Fields Chair’s introduction.

Kristjan R. Jessen A brief look at glial cells.

Bernard Zalc The acquisition of myelin: a success story.

Discussion.

Geoffrey Burnstock Purinergic signalling—an overview.

Discussion.

General discussion I.

Kenneth A. Jacobson, Stefano Costanzi, Bhalchandra V. Joshi, Pedro Besada, Dae Hong Shin, Hyojin Ko, Andrei Ivanov and Liaman Mamedova Agonists and antagonists for P2 receptors.

Discussion.

Eduardo Lazarowski Regulated release of nucleotides and UDP sugars from astrocytoma cells.

Discussion.

Maria P. Abbracchio and Claudia Verderio Pathophysiological roles of P2 receptors in glial cells.

Discussion.

General discussion II.

Herbert Zimmermann ectonucleotidases in the nervous system.

Discussion.

Joseph T. Neary, Yuan Kang, You-fang Shi, Minh D. Tran and Ina B. Wanner P2 receptor signalling, proliferation of astrocytes, and expression of molecules involved in cell–cell interactions.

Discussion.

R. Douglas Fields nerve impulses regulate myelination through purinergic signalling.

Discussion.

Beth Stevens Cross-talk between growth factor and purinergic signalling regulates Schwann cell proliferation.

Discussion.

Freddy Jeanneteau and Moses V. Chao Promoting neurotrophic effects by GPCR ligands.

Discussion.

Eric A. Newman A purinergic dialogue between glia and neurons in the retina.

Discussion.

Tommaso Fellin, Jai-Yoon Sul, Marcello D’Ascenzo, Hajime Takano, Olivier Pascual and Philip G. Haydon Bidirectional astrocyte–neuron communication: the many roles of glutamate and ATP.

Discussion.

Keith J. Todd and Richard Robitaille neuron–glia interactions at the neuromuscular synapse.

Discussion.

General discussion III.

Stéphane H.R. Oliet, Aude Panatier and Richard Piet Functional neuronal–glial anatomical remodelling in the hypothalamus.

Discussion.

Francesco Di Virgilio Purinergic signalling between axons and microglia.

Discussion.

Kazuhide Inoue ATP receptors of microglia involved in pain.

Discussion.

Final discussion.

Index of contributors.

Subject index.