A cell population that strongly expresses the CB1 cannabinoid receptor in the ependyma of the rat spinal cord.
The cells surrounding the central canal of the spinal cord are a source of stem/precursor cells that may give rise to neurons, astrocytes, or oligodendrocytes. However, they are a heterogeneous population that remains poorly understood. Here we describe a subpopulation characterized by their strong expression of the CB(1) cannabinoid receptor, oval/round soma, apical nucleus, a variable number of cilia (0, 1, or 2), and the presence of a single short and occasionally ramified basal process. These cells are mainly located in the lateral and dorsal central canal throughout the spinal cord. These CB(1)(HIGH) cells are closely related to the basal lamina labyrinths or fractones derived from subependymal microglia. In addition, CB(1)(HIGH) cells express some stem/precursor cell markers, including vimentin, nestin, Sox2, Sox9, and GLAST, but not others such as CD15 or GFAP. In addition, this cell population does not proliferate in the intact adult spinal cord, although up to 50% of these cells express the proliferation marker Ki67 in newly born rats or after a spinal cord contusion. The present findings contribute to our understanding of the spinal cord central canal structure and reveal the targets for endocannabinoids inside this neurogenic niche.
Laboratorio de Neuroinflamacion, Unidad de Neurologia Experimental, Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos, Toledo 45071, Spain. dgarciao@sescam.jccm.es
Daniel
D
Garcia-Ovejero
Angel
A
Arevalo-Martin
Beatriz
B
Paniagua-Torija
Yolanda
Y
Sierra-Palomares
Eduardo
E
Molina-Holgado
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D004805:Ependyma / Q000166:cytology*; D027341:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D034882:Lamins / Q000378:metabolism; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D064231:Nestin; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000378:metabolism; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism
C100745:Aif1 protein, rat; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D027341:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1; C490174:Fabp7 protein, rat; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D034882:Lamins; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577485:Nes protein, mouse; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D012794:Sialic Acids; C527784:Sox2 protein, rat; D014404:Tubulin; C103469:polysialyl neural cell adhesion molecule; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine