title: Characterization of Laminar Zones in the Mid-Gestation Primate Brain with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histological Methods.
abstract: Distinct populations of progenitor and postmitotic neural and glial cells are stratified in the fetal primate brain across developmentally transient tissue zones between the ventricular and pial surfaces. These zones were originally identified by light microscopy. However, it has subsequently been shown that various forms of magnetic resonance image (MRI) contrast can be used to distinguish layers of developing neural tissue in ex vivo, as well as in vivo (including in utero) conditions. Here we compare mid-gestation rhesus macaque tissue zones identified using histological techniques to ex vivo as well as in utero MRI performed on the same brains. These data are compared to mid-gestation fetal human brain MRI results, obtained in utero. We observe strong similarity between MRI contrast in vivo and post mortem, which facilitates interpretation of in utero images based on the histological characterization performed here. Additionally, we observe differential correspondence between the various forms of ex vivo MRI contrast and microscopy data, with maps of the water apparent diffusion coefficient providing the closest match to histologically-identified lamina of the nonhuman primate brain. Examination of histology and post mortem MRI helps to provide a better understanding of cytoarchitectrual characteristics that give rise to in utero MRI contrast.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University Beaverton, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaojie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Pettersson
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Image Computing Group, Departments of Pediatrics, Bioengineering, and Radiology, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Studholme
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University Beaverton, OR, USA ; Advanced Imaging Research Center and Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kroenke
keywords: MRI validation; brain development; cortical plate; diffusion MRI; fetal MRI; rhesus macaque; subplate; subventricular zone