Makarov F N, Hollender H, Stone J
Laboratory of Central Nervous System Morphology, I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.
Morfologiia. 1999;116(4):18-22.
Organization of glial environment of bodies and axons of cat retinal ganglion cells (GC) was analysed electron microscopically. Similarities and differences in types of contacts between macroglial cells and GC plasmalemma throughout its length were demonstrated. Regularities of changes of types of glia surrounding different types of GC were established. GC body was surrounded by the processes of Muller gliocytes, while a special glial crown appearing as multiple radial finger-shaped astrocyte processes covers GC initial segment. Possible functional aspects of structural organization of interrelations of GC body and axons with gliocytes are discussed.