Glia:neuron index: review and hypothesis to account for different values in various mammals.
The present paper proposes a hypothesis to account for different values of the glia:neuron index in comparable central nervous system tissues of various mammals. This hypothesis assumes that K+ ions released by active neurons are a mitogenic signal for glial cells. The thicker the tissue (for example, the brain wall), the more difficult is efficient K+ clearance, and more perinatal glial cell proliferation should occur. Thus, this hypothesis accounts for higher glia:neuron indices in mammals with thicker brain walls.
Reichenbach
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Carl Ludwig Institute of Physiology, Karl Marx University, Leipzig, German Democratic Republic.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development; D002455:Cell Division; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*