A crucial role for chemokines and their receptors as mediators of homeostatic crosstalk between neurons and glia has emerged (9, 10) and we have recently shown that the trans-membrane chemokine CXCL16, through its unique receptor CXCR6, orchestrates cell cross-talk to promote neuroprotection against glutamate-induced excitotoxic insults (11); to mediate endogenous protective mechanisms to counteract neuronal damage during brain ischemia (12); and to modulate neurotransmitter release in the hippocampus (13). This evidence concerns the gene CXCL16 and brain ischemia.