Localization of microglia in the human fetal cervical spinal cord.
Differential morphologic subtypes of microglia have been identified in the human fetal frontal cerebrum using a lectin, Ricinus communis agglutinin 1 (RCA-1), and a monoclonal antibody, EBM-11. In this report, microglia were characterized in the human fetal cervical spinal cord. RCA-1-positive microglia were ramified in the developing gray matter while in the developing white matter they had a less differentiated (ameboid) appearance. EBM-11, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes CD68 on human macrophages, and microglia labeled only ameboid-type microglia in the developing white matter. This suggests that distinct subpopulations of microglia exist, which may represent different stages in microglial development, and that CD68 may be a differentiation marker for less mature forms. Therefore, cytologically less differentiated forms of microglia appear to be associated with myelination.
Hutchins
K D
KD
Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461.
Dickson
D W
DW
Rashbaum
W K
WK
Lyman
W D
WD
D003239:Connective Tissue Cells; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009333:Neck; D016622:Silver Staining; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*