Globoid cell leukodystrophy: specialized contact of globoid cell with astrocyte in the brain of twitcher mouse.

Subplasmalemmal linear densities (Yajima et al. 1977 a) were the membrane specializations observed in globoid cells in globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD) and in the cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system (Kawanami et al. 1980). In the spinal cord of the twitcher mouse, an authentic murine model of GLD, somewhat similar membrane specializations were noted in astrocytes, and on some occasions, a spot desmosome-like cellular contact was observed between globoid cells, which were likely to be mesodermal in origin, and astrocytes, which are of ectodermal origin. Possible significance of such apparent cellular contact is discussed briefly.