What are Metallothioneins? And what about Astrocytes?

Metallothioneins are somehow involved in cell regulation around metals.

According to research by Tokuda etal there is something wrong with how the cell is processing functions around copper, which use these Metallohioneins.  "The upregulation of endogenous MTs by dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, significantly improved the disease course and rescued motor neurons in SOD1G93A mice."

Author: Tokuda, E., Watanabe, S., Okawa, E. and Ono, S. I. Year: 2015 Title: Regulation of Intracellular Copper by Induction of Endogenous Metallothioneins Improves the Disease Course in a Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

How does this get improved by diet and or supplements?  What does the body need to help itself with this process?

This read of Astrocytes is really interesting.  These guys give off glutamate, which is in excess in the brains of people with ALS.  But according to Davoli etal they also give off H2S and there are high levels of H2S in the spines of ALS patients and it is believe to come from the Astrocytes and microgilia.

Author: Davoli, A., Greco, V., Spalloni, A., Guatteo, E., Neri, C., Rizzo, G. R., Cordella, A., Romigi, A., Cortese, C., Bernardini, S., Sarchielli, P., Cardaioli, G., Calabresi, P., Mercuri, N. B., Urbani, A. and Longone, P. Year: 2015 Title: Evidence of hydrogen sulfide involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

This really is saying a lot,  Interpretation: This study unravels H2S as an astroglial mediator of motor neuron damage possibly involved in the cellular death characterizing ALS