Abstract: Astroglia is the first cell type in the central nervous system to encounter insult after brain ischemia. Then ischemia stimulates hypertrophic and proliferative changes in astroglia and induces it produce inflammatory factors involved in the initiation of immunologic cascade. The expression of these cytokines which interact in the central nervous system can both damage and protect the brain tissue. Therefore, it is important to study astroglia and cytokines in order to find a new way to reduce inflammation insults after brain ischemia.

Key words: cerebral ischemia, astroglia, inflammatory factor, inflammatory reaction, review