Summary
The reaction of the newborn rat brain following needle injury has been studied electron microscopically. Very few protoplasmic astrocytes are present in the newborn brain, and they do not appear to participate in the reaction. Instead, the extracellular space appears to be widened by an accumulation of oedema fluid. The microglial cells react remarkably rapidly; many macrophages containing whole cells as well as myelin figures and lipid droplets are found within 24 hours after the injury. At no time does a dense glial or connective tissue scar form. These reactions are quite different from those characteristic of mature brain tissue, and possible explanations for these differences are discussed.
Zusammenfassung
Die Reaktion des Gehirns neugeborener Ratten auf Stichverletzung wurde elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Die wenigen im Neugeborenenhirn vorhandenen protoplasmatischen Astrocyten erschienen an der Reaktion unbeteiligt. Hingegen erwies sich der Extracellularraum durch Anhäufung von Ödemflüssigkeit erweitert. Die Mikrogliazellen reagieren bemerkenswert schnell; viele, ganze Zellen sowie Myelinfiguren und Fetttröpfchen enthaltende Makrophagen werden schon 24 Stunden nach der Verletzung gefunden. Eine dichte Glia- oder Bindegewebsnarbe bildet sich nicht. Diese Reaktionen sind von denen für das reife Hirngwebe charakteristischen durchaus verschieden; mögliche Erklärungen für diese Unterschiede werden erörtert.
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Dr.Sumi gratefully acknowledges the support of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft and of The Epilepsy Foundation.
The authors wish to acknowledge the technical assistance of MissesEvi Eichhorn, Doris Höna, andSusanne Luh.
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Sumi, S.M., Hager, H. Electron microscopic study of the reaction of the newborn rat brain to injury. Acta Neuropathol 10, 324–335 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00690707
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00690707