3D Modeling of the Lateral Ventricles and Histological Characterization of Periventricular Tissue in Humans and Mouse

The ventricular system carries and circulates cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and facilitates clearance of solutes and toxins from the brain. The functional ...

University of Connecticut

The subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult mouse brain is a narrow stem cell niche that lies along the length of the lateral wall of the lateral ventricles. The SVZ supports neurogenesis throughout adulthood; however, with increasing age, the ventral SVZ deteriorates and only the dorsolateral SVZ remains neurogenic. Associated with the elderly dorsolateral SVZ, we reported previously an increased number of astrocytes interposed within the adjacent ependymal lining. Here, we show that astrocytes integrated within the ependyma are dividing, BrdU-labeled astrocytes that share cellular adherens with neighboring ependymal cells. By tracking BrdU-labeled astrocytes over time, we observed that, as they incorporated within the ependyma, they took on antigenic and morphologic characteristics of ependymal cells, suggesting a novel form of SVZ-supported "regenerative" repair in the aging brain. A similar form of SVZ-mediated ependyma repair was also observed in young mice after mild ependymal cell denudation with low dosages of neuraminidase. Together, this work identifies a novel non-neuronal mechanism of regenerative repair by the adult SVZ.

Subventricular zone-mediated ependyma repair in the adult mammalian brain.

The persistence of an active subventricular zone neural stem cell niche in the adult mammalian forebrain supports its continued role in the production of new neurons and in generating cells to function in repair through adulthood. Unfortunately, with increasing age the niche begins to deteriorate, compromising these functions. The reasons for this decline are not clear. Studies are beginning to define the molecular and physiologic changesin the microenvironment of the aging subventricular zone niche. New revelations from aging studies will allow for a more thorough understanding of what reparative functions are lost in the aged brain, the progression of niche demise and the possibility for therauptic intervention to improve aging brain function.

AGING OF THE SUBVENTRICULAR ZONE NEURAL STEM CELL NICHE.

The persistence of an active subventricular zone neural stem cell niche in the adult mammalian forebrain supports its continued role in the production of new neurons and in generating cells to function in repair through adulthood. Unfortunately, with increasing age the niche begins to deteriorate, compromising these functions. The reasons for this decline are not clear. Studies are beginning to define the molecular and physiologic changes in the microenvironment of the aging subventricular zone niche. New revelations from aging studies will allow for a more thorough understanding of which reparative functions are lost in the aged brain, the progression of niche demise and the possibility for therauptic intervention to improve aging brain function.

Aging of the subventricular zone neural stem cell niche.

Through adulthood, the rodent subventricular zone (SVZ) stem cell niche generates new olfactory bulb interneurons. We had previously reported that the number of new neurons produced in the SVZ declines through aging; however, age-related changes attributable specifically to the SVZ neural stem cell (NSC) population have not been fully characterized. Here, we conducted a spatiotemporal evaluation of adult SVZ NSCs. We assessed ventricle-contacting NSCs, which together with ependymal cells form regenerative units (pinwheels) along the lateral wall of the lateral ventricle. Based on their apical GFAP-expressing process, individual NSCs were identified across the ventricle surface using serial reconstruction of the SVZ. We observed an 86% decline in total NSCs/mm² of intact ependyma in 2-year old versus 3-month-old mice, with fewer NSC processes within each aged pinwheel. This resulted in an associated 78% decline in total pinwheel units/mm². Regional analysis along the lateral ventricle surface revealed that the age-dependent decline of NSCs and pinwheels is spatially uniform and ultimately maintains the conserved ratio of olfactory bulb interneuron subtypes generated in young mice. However, the overall neurogenic output of the aged SVZ is reduced. Surprisingly, we found no significant change in the number of actively proliferating NSCs per mm² of ventricle surface. Instead, our data reveal that, although the total NSC number, pinwheel units and NSCs per pinwheel decline with age, the percentage of actively, mitotic NSCs increases, indicating that age-related declines in SVZ-mediated olfactory bulb neurogenesis occur downstream of NSC proliferation.

Spatiotemporal changes to the subventricular zone stem cell pool through aging.

Age-associated ventriculomegaly is typically attributed to neurodegeneration; however, additional factors might initiate or contribute to progressive ventricular expansion. By directly linking postmortem human MRI sequences with histological features of periventricular tissue, we show that substantial lateral ventricle surface gliosis is associated with ventriculomegaly. To examine whether loss of ependymal cell coverage resulting in ventricle surface glial scarring can lead directly to ventricle enlargement independent of any other injury or degenerative loss, we modeled in mice the glial scarring found along the lateral ventricle surface in aged humans. Neuraminidase, which cleaves glycosidic linkages of apical adherens junction proteins, was administered intracerebroventricularly to denude areas of ependymal cells. Substantial ependymal cell loss resulted in reactive gliosis rather than stem cell-mediated regenerative repair of the ventricle lining, and the gliotic regions showed morphologic and phenotypic characteristics similar to those found in aged humans. Increased levels of aquaporin-4, indicative of edema, observed in regions of periventricular gliosis in human tissue were also replicated in our mouse model. 3D modeling together with volume measurements revealed that mice with ventricle surface scarring developed expanded ventricles, independent of neurodegeneration. Through a comprehensive, comparative analysis of the lateral ventricles and associated periventricular tissue in aged humans and mouse, followed by modeling of surface gliosis in mice, we have demonstrated a direct link between lateral ventricle surface gliosis and ventricle enlargement. These studies highlight the importance of maintaining an intact ependymal cell lining throughout aging.

Ventriculomegaly associated with ependymal gliosis and declines in barrier integrity in the aging human and mouse brain.

The study of adipose tissue in vivo has been significantly advanced through the use of genetic mouse models. While the aP2-Cre(BI) and aP2-Cre(Salk) lines have been widely used to target adipose tissue, the specificity of these lines for adipocytes has recently been questioned. Here we characterize Cre recombinase activity in multiple cell populations of the major adipose tissue depots of these and other Cre lines using the membrane-Tomato/membrane-GFP (mT/mG) dual fluorescent reporter. We find that the aP2-Cre(BI) and aP2-Cre(Salk) lines lack specificity for adipocytes within adipose tissue, and that the aP2-Cre(BI) line does not efficiently target adipocytes in white adipose depots. Alternatively, the Adiponectin-CreERT line shows high efficiency and specificity for adipocytes, while the PdgfRα-CreERUCL and PdgfRα-CreERJHU lines do not efficiently target adipocyte precursor cells in the major adipose depots. Instead, we show that the PdgfRα-Cre line is preferable for studies targeting adipocyte precursor cells in vivo.

Brett A. Shook

Department of Physiology and Neurobiology

University of Connecticut

3D Modeling of the Lateral Ventricles and Histological Characterization of Periventricular Tissue in Humans and Mouse

Brett A. Shook

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Physiology and Neurobiology

University of Connecticut

3D Modeling of the Lateral Ventricles and Histological Characterization of Periventricular Tissue in Humans and Mouse

Department of Physiology and Neurobiology