| Summary: | In the spinal cord Lamina X, Cerebrospinal Fluid contacting Cells (CSFcCs) are located in between and immediately adjacent to the ependymal cells surrounding the central canal. Little is known about the function of the CSFcCs. This thesis investigates potential functions for CSFcCs and suggests a potential involvement in the proliferation of cells surrounding the central canal. CSFcCs have previously been shown to express markers consistent with them being immature neurones. The hypothesis that they can be generated in adult postnatal spinal cord was tested. Using Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase 67-Green Fluorescent Protein (GAD67-GFP) mouse to help identify CSFcCs, they were found to express Beta III tubulin (Tuj I) but lack the marker of Neuronal Nuclei (N euN), consistent with immature neurones. However, CSFcCs did not appear to be newborn neurones since they did not take up 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) following in vivo injections, or express Ki-67 immunoreactivity (lR). Access to a running wheel increased the number of Ki67-IR cells in the spinal cord, particularly in the ependyma of the central canal. However, CSFcCs were again not identified as newborn cells. CSFcCs did not express markers of ependymal cells, radial glia and neural stem cells although they express the alpha-I subunit of the Sodium Potassium ATPase (aI Na+K+ATPase), which also present in ependymal cells. CSFcCs therefore seem unlikely to be recent products of cell division in adult spinal cord.
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