Reactive changes in the morphology of the glial cells of the central nervous system in tissue culture

Different types of changes in glial cell reactions in organic and monolayer cultures are described. These changes are shown to reflect the behaviour of glial cells in vivo. A special attention is paid to the role of glial cells in the axon growth, and to their contractile activity and alterations under cytotoxic edema conditions. The establishment of intercellular contacts is shown to provide the general reaction of a group of glial cells.