THE MORPHOLOGY OF RADIAL GLIAL SPINAL CORD OF EMBRYOS AND HUMAN FETUSES

ABSTRACT Objective The spinal cord extends from the foramen magnum to the sacrum in the human fetus at the beginning of the 2nd quarter. However, the medullary cone is located at or above the level of the second lumbar vertebra at birth. The objective is to determine the difference between the rates of longitudinal growth of the spinal cord and the spine in human fetuses from the 13th to the 22nd week of gestation (WoG) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods Descriptive observational cross-sectional study of 24 stillbirths (13 ♂, 11 ♀), between the 13th and 22nd WoG, using spinal MRI. We recorded spine and spinal cord lengths in millimeters from the foramen magnum to the coccyx for the former and to the medullary cone for the latter. We identified the position of the medullary cone according to vertebral level and its correlation with the gestational age and the literature. Results The spinal cord increased in length from 50 to 93 mm, the spine from 57 to 137 mm, and the medullary cone rose from S1 to L2. The rate of growth was 1.2 mm/day for the spine and 0.6 mm/day for the spinal cord. Conclusions Discordance in the rate of normal longitudinal growth of the spine and spinal cord caused the medullary cone to rise from S1 level to L2 in the second trimester of pregnancy. These results allow an understanding of normal development and certain congenital malformations. Level of evidence IV; Case series.

Download Full-text

Crumbs2 mediates ventricular layer remodelling to form the adult spinal cord central canal

10.1101/744888 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Christine Tait ◽

Kavitha Chinnaiya ◽

Mariyam Murtaza ◽

John-Paul Ashton ◽

Nicholas Furley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Essential Role ◽

Radial Glia ◽

Cultured Cells ◽

Central Canal ◽

Dorsal Midline ◽

Apical Polarity ◽

Radial Glial ◽

Adult Spinal Cord ◽

Apical Membranes

AbstractIn the spinal cord, the adult central canal forms through a poorly-understood process termed dorsal collapse that involves attrition and remodelling of the pseudostratified dorsal ventricular layer. Here we show, in mouse, that dorsal ventricular layer cells adjacent to midline Nestin(+) radial glia downregulate the apical polarity proteins Crumbs2 (CRB2) and aPKC and delaminate in a step-wise manner; concomitantly, Nestin(+) radial glial end-feet ratchet down, to repeat this process. Nestin(+) radial glia secrete a factor that promotes cell delamination. This activity is mimicked by a secreted variant of CRB2 (CRB2S), which is specifically expressed by dorsal midline Nestin(+) radial glia. In cultured cells, CRB2S associated with apical membranes and decreased cell cohesion. Analysis of Crb2F/F/Nestin-Cre+/− mice further confirmed an essential role for CRB2 in dorsal collapse. We propose a model in which CRB2S promotes the progressive attrition of the ventricular layer without loss of overall integrity. This novel mechanism may operate more widely to promote orderly progenitor delamination.

Download Full-text

Comparison of morphological features of the spinal cord segments of the human fetus with myelomeningocele and those without anomalies in their development

Bukovinian Medical Herald ◽

10.24061/2413-0737.xviii.1.69.2014.36 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 18 (1 (69)) ◽

Author(s):

V. S. Shkolnikov ◽

Y. Y. Guminskyi ◽

V. A. Tykholaz

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Central Nervous System ◽

Nervous System ◽

Internal Structure ◽

Human Fetus ◽

Morphometric Parameters ◽

Morphological Features ◽

Human Fetuses ◽

Spinal Segments ◽

The Central Nervous System

The results of a study of morphometric parameters and structure of the spinal cord segments of human fetuses without abnormalities in the central nervous system compared to a human fetus with myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus are presented in the paper. Some changes both in morphometric parameters values, and in the internal structure of some spinal segments have been detected.

Download Full-text

ACQUIRED SPINAL CORD INJURY IN HUMAN FETUSES WITH MYELOMENINGOCELE

Fetal and Pediatric Pathology ◽

10.1080/713601226 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 16 (5) ◽

pp. 701-712 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Grover Hutchins

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Human Fetuses ◽

Cord Injury

Download Full-text

Ependymoma

Oxford Textbook of Neurological Surgery ◽

10.1093/med/9780198746706.003.0029 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 361-366

Author(s):

Christopher Chandler

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Stem Cells ◽

Central Nervous System ◽

Nervous System ◽

Fourth Ventricle ◽

Myxopapillary Ependymoma ◽

Central Nervous System Tumours ◽

The Central Nervous System ◽

Radial Glial ◽

Slow Growing

Ependymomas which include both subependymoma and myxopapillary ependymoma variants are slow growing tumours of glial origin, believed to arise from radial glial stem cells within the ependymal surface within the central nervous system and spinal cord. Consequently, they are most commonly found in association with a ventricular surface, primarily within the fourth ventricle. Most of these tumours occur in children, representing approximately 10% of all paediatric central nervous system tumours, following astrocytomas and primitive neuroectodermal tumours in frequency, and there does not appear to be a gender bias. The majority of paediatric ependymomas are intracranial and about half occur in children less than 5 years old.

Download Full-text