Honeybee retinal glial cells transform glucose and supply the neurons with metabolic substrate

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.85.22.8727· OSTI ID:6868123

Tsacopoulos, M; Evequoz-Mercier, V; Perrottet, P; Buchner, E

The retina of the honeybee drone is a nervous tissue in which glial cells and photoreceptor cells (sensory neurons) constitute two distinct metabolic compartments. Retinal slices incubated with 2-deoxy(/sup 3/H)glucose convert this glucose analogue to 2-deoxy(/sup 3/H)glucose 6-phosphate, but this conversion is made only in the glial cells. Hence, glycolysis occurs only in glial cells. In contrast, the neurons consume O/sub 2/ and this consumption is sustained by the hydrolysis of glycogen, which is contained in large amounts in the glia. During photostimulation the increased oxidative metabolism of the neurons is sustained by a higher supply of carbohydrates from the glia. This clear case of metabolic interaction between neurons and glial cells supports Golgi's original hypothesis, proposed nearly 100 years ago, about the nutritive function of glial cells in the nervous system.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Geneva School of Medicine (Switzerland)
• OSTI ID: 6868123
• Journal Information: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Vol. 85:22
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
GLUCOSE
METABOLISM
NERVE CELLS
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
BEES
IN VITRO
RETINA
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
ALDEHYDES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
BODY
BODY AREAS
CARBOHYDRATES
EYES
FACE
HEAD
HEXOSES
HYMENOPTERA
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MONOSACCHARIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
SACCHARIDES
SENSE ORGANS
SOMATIC CELLS
550501* - Metabolism- Tracer Techniques