ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Arachnoid cells
;
Tight and gap junctions
;
Cold injury
;
Ultrastructure
;
Freeze-fracture technique
;
Rat
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The junctional complexes of cells in the outer arachnoid layer overlying the cerebral cortex of 2-week-old rats were examined with freeze-fracture electron microscopy up to 60 min after transcranial cold injury to the dorsal surface of the brain. Within 30 min after injury, areas of gap and tight junctions with morphological features characteristic of junction formation and/or junction disruption were found scattered among normal junctional complexes in some arachnoid cells. Within 60 min after injury, tight junctions with features typical of less leaky zonulae occludentes were present in all arachnoid cells examined. These morphological features include increases in the number of tight junctional strands and the number of strand-to-strand anatomoses. Gap junctions were interspersed among the tight junctional strands, and many were completely encircled by the strands. The increase in the number and complexity of the tight junctional strands in response to brain injury may be the morphological basis for the maintenance of the cerebrospinal fluid-blood dural barrier.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00218887
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