In GFAP–/– Vim–/– mice, astrocytes do not form cytoplasmic intermediate filaments, the reactive gliosis is impaired (Pekny et al., 1999b; Menet et al., 2001; Pekny and Pekna, 2004; Wilhelmsson et al., 2004; Holy and Pekny, 2015), and the infarcts developing after ischemic strokes are larger (Li et al., 2008). Here, GFAP is linked to ischemic stroke.