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Functions of glial cells in the retina of the honeybee drone
Author(s) -
Coles Jonathan A.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
glia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.954
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1098-1136
pISSN - 0894-1491
DOI - 10.1002/glia.440020102
Subject(s) - biology , muller glia , retina , neuroglia , glycogen , extracellular , drone , microbiology and biotechnology , homeostasis , neuroscience , biochemistry , central nervous system , botany , stem cell , progenitor cell
In the retina of the honey bee drone, Apis mellifera ♂ , physiological interactins between glial cells and neurons (the photoreceptors) are exceptionally clearcut and amenable to investigation. The principal glia (outer pigment cells) contribute to the homeostasis of extracellular [K + ] and [Na + ] by (1) spatial buffering of K + and (2) net uptake fo K + and Cl − . The glia supply carbohydrate metabolic substrate to the neurons; only the glia take up and phosphorylate glucose. Neuronal activity (1) modifies glycogen metabolism in the glia, and (2) can be signalled to the glia in the absence of elevated extracellular [K + ].