Postnatal Growth of the Human Pons: A Morphometric and Immunohistochemical Analysis

摘要: Despite its critical importance to global brain function, the postnatal development of human pons remains poorly understood. In present study, we first performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based morphometric analyses (0-18 years; n = 6-14/timepoint). Pons volume increased 6-fold from birth 5 years, followed by continued slower growth throughout childhood. The observed was primarily due expansion basis pontis. T2-based MRI analysis suggests that this is linked myelination, and histological myelin basic protein in postmortem specimens confirmed a dramatic increase myelination during infancy. Analysis cellular proliferation revealed many Ki67(+) cells 7 months life, particularly month, where relative tegmentum. majority proliferative expressed transcription factor Olig2, suggesting an oligodendrocyte lineage. proportion proliferating were Olig2(+) similar through life between number declined dramatically further decreased 3 with small addition, two populations vimentin/nestin-expressing identified: dorsal group near ventricular surface, which persists childhood, parenchymal population diminishes not evident later Together, our data reveal remarkable ventral pons, infancy when are most increases.