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Glia cells of the monkey retina. I. Astrocytes
Author(s) -
Distler C.,
Weigel H.,
Hoffmann K.P.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.903330111
Subject(s) - retina , biology , astrocyte , ganglion cell layer , glial fibrillary acidic protein , nerve fiber layer , axon , optic nerve , neuroscience , neuroglia , anatomy , confocal microscopy , ganglion , retinal , microbiology and biotechnology , central nervous system , immunohistochemistry , immunology , biochemistry
Morphology and distribution of retinal astrocytes have been studied in macaque monkeys by immunocytochemical localization of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). With the exception of the fovea and the far periphery, astrocytes are ubiquitous in the nerve fiber layer (NFL) and the ganglion cell layer (GCL) of the monkey retina. The morphology of NFL astrocytes changes gradually, from star‐shaped in the periphery to bipolar close to the optic disc. By contrast, GCL astrocytes maintain their star‐shaped appearance throughout the retina. Astrocytes are unevenly distributed in the monkey retina, showing the highest concentration around the optic disc, and particularly low densities in the perifoveal region and the far periphery. The fovea proper is devoid of astrocytes. Employing high‐resolution confocal microscopy, we could demonstrate that astrocytes from manifold contacts to blood vessels. In addition, bundles of NFL astrocyte processes are co‐localized with axon bundles, individual astrocytes forming contacts to several axon bundles. In contrast, a similar affinity of astrocytes to ganglion cell somata was never observed. Thus, our data confirm and extend the current knowledge of morphology and putative function of astrocytes in mammalian and especially the primate retina. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.