title: Heterotopic reelin in human nodular heterotopia: a neuropathological study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The extracellular matrix glycoprotein reelin plays a crucial role in the control of neuronal migration and during development is expressed by Cajal-Retzius cells in the marginal zone. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible involvement of reelin in the pathogenesis of human nodular heterotopia, a malformation of cortical development frequently associated with focal drug-resistant epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients presenting with subcortical nodular heterotopia and referred for epilepsy surgery, after a comprehensive presurgical investigation, were considered. The surgical specimens were studied by combining immunohistochemistry, double immunofluorescence, and in situ hybridisation procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The selected cases were characterised by the presence of multiple nodules presenting in the core cell-free zones, reminiscent of the cortical molecular layer. In all cases, small reelin-positive cells, without typical Cajal-Retzius cell features, were distributed inside the nodules and localised in these cell body-sparse regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presented data corroborate the hypothesis that reelin might be involved in human heterotopic nodular formation.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Epileptology and Experimental Neurophysiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Neurologico C Besta, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tassi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spreafico
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garbelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D054091:Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000091042:Reelin Protein; C000717127:RELN protein, human; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases