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Cerebrospinal Fluid in Clinical Neurology pp 25–34Cite as

Physiology and Constituents of CSF

Abstract

CSF protects the CNS in different ways involving metabolic homeostasis, supply of nutrients, functioning as lymphatic system, and regulation of intracranial pressure.

CSF is produced by the choroid plexus, brain interstitium, and the meninges, and it circulates in craniocaudal direction from ventricles to spinal subarachnoid space from where it is removed via craniocaudal lymphatic routes and venous system. The CSF is renewed 3–5 times daily, and its molecular constituents are mainly blood derived (80 %), while the remainder consists of brain-derived and intrathecally produced molecules (20 %).

The transfer of molecules between the blood–brain and blood–CSF barriers is selectively regulated by diffusion (e.g., passive or facilitated transport for proteins) or active transport (e.g., glucose). Aquaporin-4 channels, abundantly localized at the blood–brain interface, are involved in the regulation of extracellular space volume, potassium buffering, cerebrospinal fluid circulation, and interstitial fluid absorption.

The concentration of CSF constituents is influenced by multiple factors most significantly by blood concentration, protein size, blood–CSF barrier integrity, and intrathecal production.

Keywords

  • Intracranial Hypotension
  • Brain Interface
  • Central Nervous System Protein
  • PGD2 Receptor
  • Intracranial Pressure Pulse

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany

    Hayrettin Tumani

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  1. Hayrettin Tumani
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Correspondence to Hayrettin Tumani .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria

    Florian Deisenhammer

  2. Department of Neurology, Danish Multiple Sclerosis Center Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Finn Sellebjerg

  3. Department of Clinical Chemistry, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam Neurochemistry Laboratory and Biobank, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Charlotte E Teunissen

  4. Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany

    Hayrettin Tumani

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Tumani, H. (2015). Physiology and Constituents of CSF. In: Deisenhammer, F., Sellebjerg, F., Teunissen, C., Tumani, H. (eds) Cerebrospinal Fluid in Clinical Neurology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01225-4_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01225-4_3

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