3. What is the function of an astrocyte, and where is it found?

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**Step 1: Identify the Cell Type and Its Location**

Astrocytes are a type of glial cell. They are found in the central nervous system (CNS), which includes both the brain and the spinal cord.

**Step 2: Understand the Main Functions of Astrocytes**

Astrocytes perform several critical functions such as:

- **Supporting Neurons:** They provide structural support to neurons, ensuring they are properly maintained within the CNS.
- **Regulating the Chemical Environment:** Astrocytes help maintain optimal extracellular conditions by regulating ion concentrations and clearing neurotransmitters from synaptic spaces.
- **Forming the Blood-Brain Barrier:** They contribute to the formation and maintenance of the blood-brain barrier, which controls the passage of substances from the bloodstream into the brain. This can be represented as a selective permeability function:
  $$
  \text{Blood-Brain Barrier} \rightarrow \text{Regulation of substances } (x) \text{ such that } x \in \text{appropriate range}
  $$
- **Metabolic Support:** They supply neurons with metabolic substrates, aiding in energy metabolism and repair processes.

**Step 3: Summarize the Findings**

An astrocyte is a glial cell located in the CNS (brain and spinal cord), and its functions include supporting neurons, regulating the extracellular environment, maintaining the blood-brain barrier, and providing metabolic support.
Astrocytes are glial cells found in the brain and spinal cord. They support neurons, regulate the chemical environment, help maintain the blood-brain barrier, and supply metabolic support to neurons.

3. What is the function of an astrocyte, and where is it found?

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