Astrocytic dye coupling in rat hippocampus: topography, developmental onset, and modulation by protein kinase C

Previous studies have shown that astrocytes constitute a functional syncytium whereas the cytoplasmata of individual cells are connected via gap junctions. Many studies have used cultured astrocytes and have examined electrical coupling with the help of double electrode techniques. Another approach has been the immunohistochemical detection of gap junction proteins in sections of brain tissue. From the results of these experiments it is difficult to infer the extent of astrocytic coupling in situ. To get an impression of the distribution of coupled astrocytes we took advantage of the hippocampal slice preparation which leaves the topography of neurons and astrocytes intact. We performed injections of low molecular weight dyes into single electrophysiologically identified astrocytes. As these dyes can pass through gap junctions this leads to the staining of all connected cells in a certain area, limited by the diffusional spread of the dye. The results show that there is virtually no border to astrocytic coupling between the diverse hippocampal subdivisions. This widespread coupling could already be detected at postnatal day 4, the earliest age tested. Activation of protein kinase C with phorbol esters showed that it is possible to reduce gap junctional communication by some extent. We conclude that although no compartmentalization was seen with respect to astrocytic coupling, the intercellular communication of these glial cells has the capability of being regulated for example by neuronal signals which activate the phospholipase C pathway in astrocytes.