[Role of neuro-astroglial interactions in the in vitro maturation of embryonic mesencephalic neurons: electron microscopic and radioautographic study]. / Rôle des interactions neuro-astrogliales dans la maturation in vitro des neurones mesencéphaliques embryonnaires: étude en microscopie électronique et par radioautographie.

ABSTRACT

Embryonic mouse neurons from the mesencephalon were plated on astrocyte monolayers from the mesencephalon and the striatum. Using ultrastructural criteria, it is shown that neuronal maturation and dendritic outgrowth are stimulated when neurons and astrocytes derive from the same structure. This is true for the dopaminergic neurons visualized by autoradiography after 3H-DA uptake. It is also true for the non-DA neurons present in these cultures. This finding raises the possibility that astrocytes synthetize specific neuronotrophic agents which act primarily upon regionally co-located neuronal subpopulation.