Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Decreased cerebrospinal fluid flow through the central canal of the spinal cord of rats immunologically deprived of Reissner's fibre

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Experimental Brain Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The subcommissural organ is an ependymal brain gland that secretes glycoproteins to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the thrid ventricle. They condense to form a fibre, Reissner's fibre (RF), that runs along the aqueduct and fourth ventricle and the central canal of the spinal cord. A single injection of an antibody against the secretory glycoproteins of RF into a lateral ventricle of adult rats results in animals permanently deprived of RF in the central canal and bearing a “short” RF extending only along the aqueduct and the fourth ventricle. These animals, together with untreated control animals were used to investigate the probable influence of RF in the circulation of CSF in the central canal of the spinal cord. For this purpose, two tracers (horseradish peroxidase and rabbit immunoglobulin) were injected into the ventricular CSF. The animals were killed 13, 20, 60, 120 and 240 min after the injection, and the amount of the tracers was estimated in tissue sections obtained at proximal, medial and distal levels of the spinal cord. In rats deprived of RF, a significant decrease in the amount of tracers present in the central canal was observed at all experimental intervals, being more evident at 20 min after the injection of the tracers. This suggests that lacking a RF in the central canal decreases the bulk flow of CSF along the central canal. Turbulences of the CSF at the entrance of the central canal of RF-deprived rats might explain the inability of the regenerating RF to progress along the central canal, as well as the reduced flow of CSF in the central canal of these animals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Afzelius BA (1985) The immotile-cilia syndrome: a microtubule-associated defect. CRC Crit Rev Biochem 19 (1):63–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Braathen LR, Forre OT, Husby G, Williams RC (1979) Evidence for Fc IgG receptors and complement factor C3b receptors in human choroid plexus. Clin Immunol Immunopathol 14:284–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradbury MWB, Lathem W (1965) A flow of cerebrospinal fluid along the central canal of the spinal cord of the rabbit and communications between this canal and the sacral subarachnoid space. J Physiol (Lond) 181:785–800

    Google Scholar 

  • Brightman MW (1965) The distribution within the brain of ferritin injected into cerebrospinal fluid compartments. I. Ependymal distribution. J Cell Biol 26:99–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Cifuentes M, Fernández-Llebrez P, Pérez J, Pérez-Fígares JM, Rodríguez EM (1992) Distribution of intraventricularly injected horseradish peroxidase in cerebrospinal fluid compartments of the rat spinal cord. Cell Tissue Res 270:485–494

    Google Scholar 

  • Davson H, Welch K, Segal MB (1987) The physiology and pathophysiology of the cerebrospinal fluid. Churchill Livingstone, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ermisch H (1973) Zur Charakterisierung des Komplexes Subkommissuralorgan-Reissnerscher Faden und seiner Beziehung zum Liquor unter besonderer Berücksichtigung autoradiographischer Untersuchungen sowie funktioneller Aspekte. Wiss Z Karl Marx Univ Leipzig Mat Naturwiss R 22:297–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham RC, Karnovsky M (1966) The early stages of absorption of injected horseradish peroxidase in the proxumal tubules of mouse kidney: ultrastructural cytochemistry by a new technique. J Histochem Cytochem 14:291–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenstone MA, Jones RWA, Dewar A, Neville BGR, Cole PJ (1984) Hydrocephalus and primary ciliary dyskinesia. Arch Dis Child 59:481–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrera H (1988) Procesamiento del material secretorio del órgano subcomisural. Doctoral Thesis, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill JR (1957) The influence of drugs on ciliary activity. J Physiol (Lond) 139:157–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofer H, Meinel W, Erhardt H, Wolter A (1984) Preliminary electron-microscopical observations on the ampulla caudalis and the discharge of the material of Reissner's fiber into the capillary system of the terminal part of the tail of Ammocoetes (Agnathi). Gegenbaurs Morphol Jahrb 130:77–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Irigoin C, Rodríguez EM, Heinrichs M, Frese K, Herzog S, Oksche A, Rott R (1990) Immunocytochemical study of the subcommissural organ of rats with postnatal induced hydrocephalus. Exp Brain Res 82:384–392

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones HC, Bucknall RM (1988) Inherited prenatal hydrocephalus in the H-Tx rat: a morphological study. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 14:263–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Krisch B, Leonhardt H, Oksche A (1984) Compartments and perivascular arrangement of the meninges covering the cerebral cortex of the rat. Cell Tissue Res 238:459–474

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Milhorat TH (1975) The third circulation revisited. J Neurosurg 42:628–645

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakayama Y (1976) The openings of the central canal in the filum terminale internum of some mammals. J Neurocytol 5:531–544

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson DJ, Wright EM (1974) The distribution, activity, and function of the cilia in the frog brain. J Physiol (Lond) 243:63–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Newberne PM (1962) The subcommissural organ of the vitamin B12 deficient rat. J Nutr 76:393–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Nualart F, Hein S, Rodríguez EM, Oksche A (1991) Identification and partial characterization of the secretory glycoproteins of the bovine subcommissural organ-Reissner's fiber complex. Evidence for the existence of two precursor forms. Mol Brain Res 11:227–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Oksche A (1961) Vergleichende Untersuchungen über sekretorische Aktivität der Subkommissuralorgans und den Gliacharakter seiner Zellen. Z Zellforsch 54:549–612

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsson R (1958) Studies on the subcommisural organ. Acta Zool (Stockh) 39:71–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Overholser MD, Whitley JR, O'Dell BL, Hogan AG (1954) The ventricular system in hydrocephalic rat brains produced by a deficiency of vitamin B12 and folic acid in the maternal diet. Anat Rec 120:917–934

    Google Scholar 

  • Peruzzo B, Rodríguez S, Delannoy L, Hein S, Rodríguez EM (1987) Ultrastructural immunocytochemical study of the massa caudalis of the subcommissural organ-Reissner's fiber complex in lamprey larvae (Geotria australis): evidence for a terminal vascular route of secretory material. Cell Tissue Res 247:367–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Reissner E (1860) Beiträge Zur Kenntnis vom Bau des Rückenmarks von Petromyzon fluviatilis L. Arch Anat Physiol 77:545–588

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez EM, Oksche A (1993) Historical landmarks in the investigation of the subcommissural organ and Reissner's fiber. In: Rodríguez EM, Oksche A, Fernández-Llebrez P (eds) The subcommissural organ. An ependymal brain gland. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 9–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez EM, Oksche A, Hein S, Rodríguez S, Yulis CR (1984) Comparative immunocytochemical study of the subcommissural organ. Cell Tissue Res 237:427–441

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez EM, Herrera H, Peruzzo B, Rodríguez S, Hein S, Oksche A (1986) Light-and electron-microscopic lectin histochemistry of the subcommissural organ: evidence for processing of the secretory material. Cell Tissue Res 243:545–559

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez EM, Rodríguez S, Schoebitz K, Yulis CR, Hoffmann P, Manns V, Oksche A (1989) Light-and electron-microscopic investigation of the rat subcommissural organ grafted under the kidney capsule, with particular reference to immunocytochemistry and lectin histochemistry. Cell Tissue Res 258:499–514

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez EM, Oksche A, Rodríguez S, Nualart F, Irigoin C, Fernández-Llebrez P, Pérez-Figares JM (1990) Subcommissural organ and cerebrospinal fluid. A biochemical and experimental study. In: Epple A (ed) Progress in comparative endocrinology. Wiley-Liss, New York, pp 282–292

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez EM, Oksche A, Hein S, Yulis CR (1992) Cell biology of the subcommissural organ. Int Rev Cytol 135:39–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez S, Rodríguez PA, Banse C, Rodríguez EM, Oksche A (1987) Reissner's fiber, massa caudalis and ampulla caudalis in the spinal cord of lamprey larvae (Geotria ausytalis). Cell Tissue Res 247:359–366

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez S, Rodríguez EM, Jara P, Peruzzo B, Oksche A (1990) Single injection into the cerebrospinal fluid of antibodies against the secretory material of the subcommissural organ reversibly blocks formation of the Reissner's fiber: immunocytochemical investigation in the rat. Exp Brain Res 81:113–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez S, Quiñones L, Rodríguez E (1993) Immunological blockade of the subcommissural organ-Reissner's fiber complex. In: Rodríguez EM, Oksche A, Fernández-Llebrez P (eds) The subcommissural organ. An ependymal brain gland. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 279–288

    Google Scholar 

  • Sternberger LA, Hardy PH, Cuculis JJ Jr, Meyer HG (1970) The unlabeled antibody enzyme method of immunocytochemistry. Preparation and properties of soluble antigen-antibody complex (horseradish peroxidase-antiperoxidase) and its use in identification of spirochetes. J Histochem Cytochem 18:315–333

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimizu A, Koto M (1992) Ultrastructure and movement of the ependymal and tracheal cilia in congenitally hydrocephalic WIC-Hyd rats. Child's Nerv Syst 8:25–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Takeuchi IK, Takeuchi YK (1986) Congenital hydrocephalus following X-irradiation of pregnant rats on an early gestational day. Neurobehav Toxicol Teratol 8:143–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Takeuchi IK, Kimura R, Matsuda M, Shoji R (1987) Absence of subcommissural organ in the cerebral aqueduct of congenital hydrocephalus spontaneously occurring in MT/Hokldr mice. Acta Neuropathol 73:320–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Takeuchi IK, Kimura R, Shoji R (1988) Dysplasia of subcommissural organ in congenital hydrocephalus spontaneously occurring in CWS/Idr rats. Experientia 44:338–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Warr WB, DeOlmos JS, Heimer L (1981) Horseradish peroxidase. The basic procedure. In: Heimer L, RoBard MT (eds) Neuroanatomical tract-tracing methods. Plenum, New York, pp 207–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner HJ, Pilgrim Ch, Brandi J (1974) Penetration and removal of horseradish peroxidase injected into the cerebrospinal fluid: role of cerebral perivascular spaces, endothelium and microglia. Acta Neuropathol 27:299–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood JH (1983) Physiology, pharmacology and dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid. In: Wood JK (ed) Neurobiology of cerebrospinal fluids. Plenum, New York, pp 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Worthington WC, Cathcart RSIII (1966) Ciliary currents on ependymal surfaces. Ann NY Acad Sci 130:944–950

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright EM (1978) Transport processes in the formation of the cerebrospinal fluid. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol 83:1–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright EM (1982) Secretion and circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid. In: Rodríguez EM, Greidanus TjB van (eds) Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peptide hormones. Karger, Basel, pp 4–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamadori T, Nara K (1979) The direction of ciliary beat on the wall of the lateral ventricle and the currents of the cerebrospinal fluid in the brain ventricles. Scanning Electron Microsc 3:335–340

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, E-29071, Spain

    M. Cifuentes, J. Pérez, J. M. Grondona & P. Fernández-Llebrez

  2. Instituto de Histología y Patología, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    S. Rodríguez & E. M. Rodríguez

Authors
  1. M. Cifuentes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Rodríguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. Pérez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. M. Grondona
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. E. M. Rodríguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. P. Fernández-Llebrez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cifuentes, M., Rodríguez, S., Pérez, J. et al. Decreased cerebrospinal fluid flow through the central canal of the spinal cord of rats immunologically deprived of Reissner's fibre. Exp Brain Res 98, 431–440 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233981

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233981

Key words

Search

Navigation