Ray P K, Choudhury S R
J Anat. 1985 Jan;140 ( Pt 1)(Pt 1):1-11.
The role of the ventricular ependyma in the elaboration of cerebrospinal fluid under resting conditions is well documented. In an attempt to elucidate its response to cerebrospinal fluid leakage, male young adult Wistar rats were subjected to lumbar spinal transection under intraperitoneal Nembutal anaesthesia. Control animals received a sham operation, involving opening up the cerebrospinal fluid space and its closure. A scanning electron microscopical study of the third ventricular ependyma on the seventh postoperative day revealed pronounced surface modifications in the experimental animal which included (i) bulbous dilatations in the ciliary shafts with frequent apical blebbing, and an overall turgid appearance of most cilia; (ii) a profusion of tall and stout microvilli in the non-ciliated zones; (iii) an increase in the size and number of blebs; and (iv) a greater number of supraependymal cells especially on the ventricular floor. The significance of these changes is discussed in the light of available studies. The results, considered collectively, seem to reflect an augmented activity of the ventricular ependyma as a compensatory measure to counteract the effects of cerebrospinal fluid leakage caused by surgical trauma. Such activity may be both absorptive and secretory in nature.
在静息状态下，脑室室管膜在脑脊液生成过程中的作用已有充分记载。为了阐明其对脑脊液渗漏的反应，对雄性成年Wistar大鼠在腹腔注射戊巴比妥麻醉下进行腰段脊髓横断术。对照动物接受假手术，包括打开脑脊液腔并将其封闭。术后第7天对第三脑室室管膜进行扫描电子显微镜研究发现，实验动物的室管膜表面有明显改变，包括：(i) 纤毛轴呈球状扩张，顶端频繁出现泡状突出，大多数纤毛整体呈肿胀外观；(ii) 非纤毛区有大量又高又粗的微绒毛；(iii) 泡状突出的大小和数量增加；(iv) 室管膜上细胞增多，尤其是在脑室底部。结合现有研究对这些变化的意义进行了讨论。综合来看，这些结果似乎反映出脑室室管膜的活性增强，作为一种代偿措施来抵消手术创伤引起的脑脊液渗漏的影响。这种活性在本质上可能兼具吸收性和分泌性。
