Glial-neuronal relationship in the developing central nervous system. A histochemical-electron microscope study of radial glial cell particulate glycogen in normal and reeler mice and the human fetus.

Glial populations in the developing central nervous system can be recognized at the ultrastructural level by its glycogen content stained selectively by reduced osmium and periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate. This method permits the description of glial defasciculation during corticogenesis in the normal mouse and demonstrates a disturbance of this process in the reeler mouse. Combined use of autoradiography and glycogen labeling yields insights into the relationships between migrating neurons and radial glial fibers. This method can also be used to recognize and describe glial fibers in the human fetal brain.