Pannese Ennio
Institute of Histology, Embryology, and Neurocytology, University of Milan, Italy.
Int Rev Cytol. 2002;220:1-34. doi: 10.1016/s0074-7696(02)20002-9.
Slender projections, similar to microvilli, are the main specialization of the perikaryal surface of sensory ganglion neurons. The extent of these projections correlates closely with the volume of the corresponding nerve cell body. It is likely that the role of perikaryal projections of sensory ganglion neurons, which lack dendrites, is to maintain the surface-to-volume ratio of the nerve cell body above some critical level for adequate metabolic exchange. Satellite cells probably have the ability to promote, or provide a permissive environment for, the outgrowth of these projections. It is not yet known whether the effect of satellite cells is mediated by molecules associated with their plasma membrane or by diffusible factors. Furthermore, receptor molecules for numerous chemical agonists are located on the nerve cell body surface, but it is not known whether certain molecules are located exclusively on perikaryal projections or are also present on the smooth surface between these projections. Further study of the nerve cell body surface and of the influence that satellite cells exert on it will improve our understanding of the interactions between sensory ganglion neurons and satellite neuroglial cells.
类似于微绒毛的细长突起是感觉神经节神经元胞体表面的主要特化结构。这些突起的程度与相应神经细胞体的体积密切相关。缺乏树突的感觉神经节神经元的胞体突起可能起着将神经细胞体的表面积与体积之比维持在某个关键水平之上的作用，以实现充分的代谢交换。卫星细胞可能具有促进这些突起生长或为其生长提供适宜环境的能力。目前尚不清楚卫星细胞的作用是由与其质膜相关的分子介导，还是由可扩散因子介导。此外，许多化学激动剂的受体分子位于神经细胞体表面，但尚不清楚某些分子是仅位于胞体突起上，还是也存在于这些突起之间的光滑表面上。对神经细胞体表面以及卫星细胞对其施加的影响进行进一步研究，将有助于我们更好地理解感觉神经节神经元与卫星神经胶质细胞之间的相互作用。
