Specialized contacts of astrocytes with astrocytes and with other cell types in the hypothalamus of the hamster.

Adult hamsters were used for this electron microscopic study of the hypothalamic region. Specialized contacts between astrocytes and astrocytes, and between astrocytes and other cellular elements, are described and illustrated. The specialized inter-astrocytic junctions occur primarily in perivascular and subpial regions, but also in areas of high synaptic density. The junctions between astrocytic processes are of hemidesmosomal type. Astrocytes are connected to oligodendroglial cells by means of desmosomes, and to neuronal processes by means of zonulae occludens. The functional significance of these arrangements is discussed.