Medulloblastomas: Medulloblastomas (PNETs) are the most common malignant brain tumor in children (20% of all pediatric tumors) and usually occur in children between the ages of 4 and 10 years. Medulloblastomas occur more often in boys than in girls.
Acanthocyte (from the Greek word á¼ÎºÎ±Î½Î¸Î± acantha, meaning 'thorn'), in human biology and medicine, refers to a form of red blood cell that has a spiked cell membrane, due to abnormal thorny projections. A similar term is spur cells.canthocytosis can be seen in: Acute or Chronic Anemia, Hepatitis A,B,C; Hepatorenal syndrome, Hypopitutarism, Malabsorption Syndromes, Malnutrition In malnourishment, such as anorexia nervosa and cystic fibrosis, acanthocytosis remits with resolution of the nutritional deficiency.
List: Astrocyte Functions. Astrocytes are a special kind of stellate-shaped brain cells that are found throughout the central nervous system and that play a supportive role for neurons. For a long time, astrocytes were thought of as merely providing âassistanceâ for neuron function and survival. Astrocytes can serve as signaling elements within an astrocyte network, between astrocytes and blood vessels, and/or between astrocytes and neurons. 2  For example, astrocytes can signal to other neurons via Ca+2 oscillations (otherwise known as calcium waves).