Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1997-7-2
pubmed:abstractText
Previous studies in this laboratory have documented that the microglial environment of the immature spinal cord is altered by exposure to ionizing radiation. As a result, the lumbosacral spinal cord is markedly depleted of both oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, while leaving axons and the overall cytoarchitecture intact. The status of the microglia in the irradiated region is unknown and is of interest given the interactions between microglia and astrocytes recently elucidated by others. This study uses both in vivo and in vitro approaches to examine the microglial population in normal and irradiated immature spinal cord. The lectin, Griffonia (Bandeiraea) simplicifolia, was selected since it marks microglia both in paraffin embedded sections and in cell cultures. Light microscopic examinations of spinal cord sections revealed a reduced microglial population in the irradiated region when compared to littermate controls, and a change in morphology of the remaining microglia to that described by others as "activated". Cultures prepared from lumbosacral spinal cords harvested from 3-day-old rats within 2-4 hr following irradiation were compared with cultures derived from their non-irradiated littermates after 8 days in vitro. Cultures from the irradiated spinal cords revealed trends similar to those observed in vivo, i.e. a reduced microglial population and altered morphology. Although all glial cell types were reduced in cultures from irradiated spinal cords, the few microglia present were usually positioned atop astrocytes. The consistency of reduction in all glial populations in this model shows the microglia to be a novel microenvironment for further studies of roles of microglial within the spinal cord.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Feb
pubmed:issn
0736-5748
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
15
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1-14
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1997
pubmed:articleTitle
Microglial development is altered in immature spinal cord by exposure to radiation.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Anatomy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205-7199, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.