Biomaterial Database

Microglia in the human fetal spinal cord--patterns of distribution, morphology and phenotype. 1999

P Rezaie, and K Patel, and D K Male

Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8JN, UK. p.rezaie@iop.kcl.ac.uk

Microglia, the intrinsic macrophages of the nervous system, colonise the cerebrum around the second trimester in man. In order to determine the extent of microglial influx into the nervous system, we have examined their distribution within the human fetal spinal cord in relation to astrocytic and vascular development between 9 and 16 weeks of gestation, using conventional immunohistochemistry [CD11b; CD45; CD64; CD68; ICAM-1; ICAM-2; VCAM-1; PECAM; GFAP; vimentin] and lectin histochemistry [RCA-1]. Microglia are identifiable by 9 weeks, within the ventricular/sub-ventricular zones. Human fetal microglia display heterogeneity in phenotype and are more readily identified by CD68 in the spinal cord. There is a marked influx of cells dorsal and ventral to the neural cavity, from the marginal layer [meninges/connective tissue] with advancing gestational age, with greatest cell densities towards the end of the time period in this study. This inward migration is associated with progressive vascularisation, ICAM-2 expression and co-localises with GFAP and vimentin positive radial glia. The patterns of microglial migration in human fetal cord differ from that within the cerebrum, but generally conform to a route following white to gray matter.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007150	Immunohistochemistry	Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents.	Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D010641	Phenotype	The outward appearance of the individual. It is the product of interactions between genes, and between the GENOTYPE and the environment.	Phenotypes
D005333	Fetus	The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.	Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal
D005865	Gestational Age	The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated from the onset of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization. It is also estimated to begin from fertilization, estrus, coitus, or artificial insemination.	Embryologic Age,Fetal Maturity, Chronologic,Chronologic Fetal Maturity,Fetal Age,Maturity, Chronologic Fetal,Age, Embryologic,Age, Fetal,Age, Gestational,Ages, Embryologic,Ages, Fetal,Ages, Gestational,Embryologic Ages,Fetal Ages,Gestational Ages
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013116	Spinal Cord	A cylindrical column of tissue that lies within the vertebral canal. It is composed of WHITE MATTER and GRAY MATTER.	Coccygeal Cord,Conus Medullaris,Conus Terminalis,Lumbar Cord,Medulla Spinalis,Myelon,Sacral Cord,Thoracic Cord,Coccygeal Cords,Conus Medullari,Conus Terminali,Cord, Coccygeal,Cord, Lumbar,Cord, Sacral,Cord, Spinal,Cord, Thoracic,Cords, Coccygeal,Cords, Lumbar,Cords, Sacral,Cords, Spinal,Cords, Thoracic,Lumbar Cords,Medulla Spinali,Medullari, Conus,Medullaris, Conus,Myelons,Sacral Cords,Spinal Cords,Spinali, Medulla,Spinalis, Medulla,Terminali, Conus,Terminalis, Conus,Thoracic Cords
D017628	Microglia	The third type of glial cell, along with astrocytes and oligodendrocytes (which together form the macroglia). Microglia vary in appearance depending on developmental stage, functional state, and anatomical location; subtype terms include ramified, perivascular, ameboid, resting, and activated. Microglia clearly are capable of phagocytosis and play an important role in a wide spectrum of neuropathologies. They have also been suggested to act in several other roles including in secretion (e.g., of cytokines and neural growth factors), in immunological processing (e.g., antigen presentation), and in central nervous system development and remodeling.	Microglial Cell,Cell, Microglial,Microglial Cells,Microglias

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