Skip to main content
Log in

Heterotopia in microcephaly induced by cytosine arabinoside: hippocampus in the neocortex

  • Regular paper
  • Published:
Acta Neuropathologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pregnant mice were injected intraperitoneally with cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) on days 13.5 and 14.5 of pregnancy. The brains of their offspring were studied histologically and histochemically. In addition to dysgenic microcephaly, nodular structures consisting of cells with a relatively homogeneous morphology were observed in the depths of the cerebral cortex. The cell clusters were first seen around postnatal day 4, and had a cellular continuity with the disarrayed pyramidal cell layer in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Golgi-Cox staining showed a number of pyramidal-shaped cells in the clusters. Morphologically, they resembled the pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus. Immunohistochemical examination, using anti-serotonin or anti-tyrosine hydroxylase antibodies, also indicated similarities between the cell clusters and the pyramidal cell layer. It is, therefore, proposed that the cell clusters consisted of heterotopic pyramidal cells of the hippocampus. A few synaptic structures could already be detected in the heterotopic cell clusters on postnatal day 3 by electron microscopy. This early establishment of synaptic contact with related neurons may have caused the heterotopic localization of the pyramidal cells.

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

Access this article

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

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received: 14 October 1999 / Revised, accepted: 4 January 2000

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ono-Yagi, K., Ohno, M., Iwami, M. et al. Heterotopia in microcephaly induced by cytosine arabinoside: hippocampus in the neocortex. Acta Neuropathol 100, 403–408 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004010000205

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004010000205

Navigation