Natural fluctuations in physiological conditions require adaptive responses involving rapid and reversible structural and functional changes in the hypothalamic neuroendocrine circuits that control homeostasis. Here, we discuss the data that implicate hypothalamic glia in the control of hypothalamic neuroendocrine circuits, specifically neuron–glia interactions in the regulation of neurosecretion as well as neuronal excitability. Mechanistically, the morphological plasticity displayed by distal processes of astrocytes, pituicytes and tanycytes modifies the geometry and diffusion properties of the extracellular space. These changes alter the relationship between glial cells of the hypothalamus and adjacent neuronal elements, especially at specialized intersections such as synapses and neurohaemal junctions. The structural alterations in turn lead to functional plasticity that alters the release and spread of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and gliotransmitters, as well as the activity of discrete glial signalling pathways that mediate feedback by peripheral signals to the hypothalamus. An understanding of the contributions of these and other non-neuronal cell types to hypothalamic neuroendocrine function is thus critical both to understand physiological processes such as puberty, the maintenance of bodily homeostasis and ageing and to develop novel therapeutic strategies for dysfunctions of these processes, such as infertility and metabolic disorders.

生理条件的自然波动需要适应性反应，其中涉及控制稳态的下丘脑神经内分泌回路的快速和可逆结构和功能变化。在这里，我们讨论了下丘脑神经胶质细胞控制下丘脑神经内分泌回路的数据，特别是神经元-神经胶质细胞相互作用调节神经分泌和神经元兴奋性。从机械上讲，星形胶质细胞，皮细胞和单核细胞远端过程显示的形态可塑性改变了细胞外空间的几何形状和扩散特性。这些变化改变了下丘脑的神经胶质细胞与相邻神经元之间的关系，特别是在特殊的交点处，如突触和神经血液连接处。结构改变进而导致功能可塑性，改变了神经递质，神经调节剂和神经胶质递质的释放和扩散，以及离散的神经胶质信号传导途径的活动，该信号传导介导周围信号向下丘脑的反馈。因此，了解这些和其他非神经元细胞类型对下丘脑神经内分泌功能的贡献对于理解生理过程（例如青春期），身体稳态和衰老的维持以及开发针对这些过程功能障碍的新治疗策略至关重要，例如由于不育和代谢紊乱。以及通过周围信号介导下丘脑的离散神经胶质信号通路的活动。因此，了解这些和其他非神经元细胞类型对下丘脑神经内分泌功能的贡献对于理解生理过程（例如青春期），身体稳态和衰老的维持以及开发针对这些过程功能障碍的新治疗策略至关重要，例如由于不育和代谢紊乱。以及通过周围信号介导下丘脑的离散神经胶质信号通路的活动。因此，了解这些和其他非神经元细胞类型对下丘脑神经内分泌功能的贡献对于理解生理过程（例如青春期），身体稳态和衰老的维持以及开发针对这些过程功能障碍的新治疗策略至关重要，例如作为不孕症和代谢紊乱。