The significance of paired astrocyte nuclei in normal human nervous tissue.

A quantitative study of astrocytes was carried out in 80 microscopic fields and the number of paired nuclei in 100 consecutive astrocytes of the temporo-occipital gyrus cortex was determined in 13 patients with no cerebral or liver disease. No significant correlation was found between astrocyte number and the percentage of paired nuclei. When studies on astrocytes in hepatic encephalopathy, liver cirrhosis and hepatosplenic schistosomiasis are taken into consideration it is suggested that these cells are in continuous variable renewal in normal adult human nervous tissue, as occurs in other animal species.