Axonal development in the cerebral white matter of the human fetus and infant.

摘要: After completion of neuronal migration to form the cerebral cortex, axons undergo rapid elongation their intra- and subcortical targets, from midgestation through infancy. We define axonal development in human parietal white matter this critical period. Immunocytochemistry Western blot analysis were performed on 46 normative cases 20-183 postconceptional (PC) weeks. Anti-SMI 312, a pan-marker neurofilaments, stained as early 23 32, marker for nonphosphorylated neurofilament high molecular weight (NFH), primarily cell bodies (cortical, subcortical, Cajal-Retzius). 31, which stains phosphorylated NFH, was used maturity, showed relatively low levels staining (approximately one-fourth adult levels) 24-34 PC GAP-43, growth elongation, expression 21-64 weeks lower, adult-like beyond 17 postnatal months. The onset myelination, seen by myelin basic protein expression, approximately 54 weeks, with progression "adult-like" 72-92 This study provides major insight into maturation during period growth, over an age range not previously examined one coinciding peak periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), disorder underlying palsy premature infants. These data suggest that immature are susceptible damage PVL timing must be considered toward establishing its pathology relative oligodendrocyte/myelin/axonal unit.