Regenerating axons form nerve terminals at astrocytes

Abstract

In adult rats ventral root (cholinergic axons) or hypogastric nerve (catecholaminergic axons) has been coapted to ganglionectomized dorsal root. The cholinergic and catecholaminergic fibers elongate as far as the peripheral-central nervous border. At this point some fibres were observed to have made synaptoid nerve terminals among astrocytes. The nerve endings accumulated transmitter substance even though they made no neuronal synapses.