Heterogeneity and functional specialization of three types of hippocampal astrocytes.

Functional specialization and topographic segregation of three types of hippocampal astrocytes. D’Ambrosio R., Wenzel J., Schwartzkroin P.A., McKhann G. II and Janigro D. Journal of Neuroscience (1998), 18(12):4425-38.

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Complex, inward rectifier and linear astrocytes have different expression of KIR currents. The voltage ramp-evoked whole-cell current profile was highly predictive of an astrocyte’s sensitivity to Cs+. Complex cells exhibited large Cs+-sensitive currents. Linear cells, in contrast, displayed little or no-Cs+-sensitivity, while Inward rectifier cells expressed an intermediate level of Cs+-sensitive currents. Biocytin filling revealed that these recordings were all obtained from isolated, uncoupled cells (in the CA3 region). The whole-cell current profile of an astrocyte with linear profile showed dynamic coupling to another linear cell.