Skip to main content
Log in

Subpial and perivascular astrocytes associated with nodes of Ranvier in the rat optic nerve

  • Published:
Journal of Neurocytology

Summary

Recent evidence has suggested that there is a division of labour between two types of astrocytes in the rat optic nerve — one type extending processes to the pial surface and to blood vessels, the other extending processes to nodes of Ranvier (Milleret al., 1989b). Here we show that astrocytes and astrocyte processes located at the pial surface and around blood vessels in the rat optic nerve can also be associated with nodes of Ranvier, indicating that the division of labour between the two types of astrocytes in the nerve is not as strict as previously proposed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Black, J. A. &Waxman, S. G.(1988) The perinodal astrocyte.Glia 1, 169–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bodega, G., Surárez, I. &Fernández, B. (1987) Fine structural relationships between astrocytes and the node of Ran vier in the amphibian and reptilian spinal cord.Neuroscience Letters 80, 7–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ffrench-Constant, C., Miller, R. H., Kruse, J., Schachner, M. &Raff, M. C. (1986) Molecular specialization of astrocyte processes at nodes of Ranvier in rat optic nerve.Journal of Cell Biology 102, 844–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ffrench-Constant, C. &Raff, M. C. (1986) The oligodendrocyte-type-2 astrocyte cell lineage is specialized for myelination.Nature 323, 335–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hildebrand, C. (1971a) Ultrastructural and lightmicroscopic studies of the nodal region in large myelinated fibres of the adult feline spinal cord white matter.Ada Physiologica Scandinavica 364, 43–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hildebrand, C. (1971b) Ultrastructural and lightmicroscopic studies of the developing feline spinal cord white matter. I. The nodes of Ranvier.Acta Physiologica Scandinavica 364, 81–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hildebrand, C. &Waxman, S. G. (1984) Postnatal differentiation of rat optic nerve fibres: electron microscopic observations on the development of nodes of Ranvier and axoglial relations.Journal of Comparative Neurology 224, 25–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, R. H., David, S., Patel, R., Abney, E. R. &Raff, M. C. (1985) A quantitative immunohistochemical study of macroglial cell development in the rat optic nerve:in vivo evidence for two distinct astrocyte lineages.Developmental Biology 111, 35–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, R. H., Ffrench-Constant, C. &Raff, M. C. (1989a) Glial cells of the rat optic nerve.Annual Review of Neuroscience 12, 517–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, R. H., Fulton, B. P. &Raff, M. C. (1989b) A novel type of glial cell associated with nodes of Ranvier in rat optic nerve.European Journal of Neuroscience 1, 172–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, R. H. &Liuzzi, F. J. (1986) Regional specialization of the radial glial cells of the adult frog spinal cord.Journal of Neurocytology 15, 187–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller, E. (1900) Studien ueber neuroglia.Arch. Mikroskop. Anat. 60, 11–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raff, M. C., Abney, E. R., Cohen, J., Lindsay, R. &Noble, M. (1983a) Two types of astrocytes in cultures of developing rat white matter: differences in morphology, surface gangliosides and growth characteristics.Journal of Neuroscience 3, 1289–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raff, M. C., Miller, R. H. &Noble, M. (1983b) A glial progenitor cell that developsin vitro into an astrocyte or an oligodendrocyte depending on culture medium.Nature 303, 390–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raff, M. C., Abney, E. R. &Miller, R. H. (1984) Two glial cell lineages diverge prenatally in rat optic nerve.Developmental Biology 106, 53–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raine, C. S. (1984) On the association between perinodal astrocytic processes and the node of Ranvier in the CNS.Journal of Neurocytology 13, 21–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarnet, H. B. &Netsky, M. G. (1974)Evolution of the Nervous System, pp. 43–4. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sims, T. J., Waxman, S. G., Black, J. A. &Gilmore, S. A. (1985) Perinodal astrocytic processes at nodes of Ranvier in developing normal and glial cell deficient rat spinal cord.Brain Research 337, 321–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skoff, R. P., Knapp, P. E. &Bartlett, W. P. (1986) Astrocytic diversity in the optic nerve: a cytoarchitectural study. InAstrocytes, Vol. 1 (edited byFederoff, S. &Vernadakis, A.), pp. 269–91. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Small, R. K., Riddle, P. &Noble, M. (1987) Evidence for migration of oligodendrocyte type-2 astrocyte progenitor cells into the developing rat optic nerve.Nature 329, 155–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waxman, S. G. &Black, J. A. (1984) Freeze-fracture ultrastructure of the perinodal astrocyte and associated glial junctions.Brain Research 308, 77–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waxman, S. G. &Swadlow, H. A. (1976) Ultrastructure of visual callosal axons in the rabbit.Experimental Neurology 53, 115–27.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Suárez, I., Raff, M.C. Subpial and perivascular astrocytes associated with nodes of Ranvier in the rat optic nerve. J Neurocytol 18, 577–582 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01187078

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01187078

Keywords

Navigation