Ultrastructural view of astrocyte arborization, astrocyte-astrocyte and astrocyte-synapse contacts, intracellular vesicle-like structures, and mitochondrial network.

ABSTRACT: The complexity of astrocyte morphology and syncytial coupling through gap junctions are crucial for astrocyte function in the brain. However, the ultrastructural details of astrocyte arborization and interactions between neighboring astrocytes remain unknown. While a prevailing view is that synapses selectively contact peripheral astrocyte processes, the precise spatial-location selectivity of synapses abutting astrocytes is unresolved. Additionally, knowing the location and quantity of vesicles and mitochondria are prerequisites to answer two emerging questions - whether astrocytes have a signaling role within the brain and whether astrocytes are highly metabolically active. Here, we provided structural context for these questions by tracing and 3D reconstructing three neighboring astrocy

SUBMITTER: Aten S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9050955 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature