1
|
Hendriks D, Pagliaro A, Andreatta F, Ma Z, van Giessen J, Massalini S, López-Iglesias C, van Son GJF, DeMartino J, Damen JMA, Zoutendijk I, Staliarova N, Bredenoord AL, Holstege FCP, Peters PJ, Margaritis T, Chuva de Sousa Lopes S, Wu W, Clevers H, Artegiani B. Human fetal brain self-organizes into long-term expanding organoids. Cell 2024; 187:712-732.e38. [PMID: 38194967 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Human brain development involves an orchestrated, massive neural progenitor expansion while a multi-cellular tissue architecture is established. Continuously expanding organoids can be grown directly from multiple somatic tissues, yet to date, brain organoids can solely be established from pluripotent stem cells. Here, we show that healthy human fetal brain in vitro self-organizes into organoids (FeBOs), phenocopying aspects of in vivo cellular heterogeneity and complex organization. FeBOs can be expanded over long time periods. FeBO growth requires maintenance of tissue integrity, which ensures production of a tissue-like extracellular matrix (ECM) niche, ultimately endowing FeBO expansion. FeBO lines derived from different areas of the central nervous system (CNS), including dorsal and ventral forebrain, preserve their regional identity and allow to probe aspects of positional identity. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we showcase the generation of syngeneic mutant FeBO lines for the study of brain cancer. Taken together, FeBOs constitute a complementary CNS organoid platform.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Delilah Hendriks
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Anna Pagliaro
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Ziliang Ma
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A(∗)STAR), Immunos, Singapore 138648, Singapore; Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Joey van Giessen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Simone Massalini
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Carmen López-Iglesias
- The Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Gijs J F van Son
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jeff DeMartino
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - J Mirjam A Damen
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Iris Zoutendijk
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Nadzeya Staliarova
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Annelien L Bredenoord
- Erasmus School of Philosophy, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frank C P Holstege
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Peter J Peters
- The Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Wei Wu
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A(∗)STAR), Immunos, Singapore 138648, Singapore; Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Hans Clevers
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Horibe K, Taga G, Fujimoto K. Geodesic theory of long association fibers arrangement in the human fetal cortex. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9778-9786. [PMID: 37482884 PMCID: PMC10472492 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Association fibers connect different areas of the cerebral cortex over long distances and integrate information to achieve higher brain functions, particularly in humans. Prototyped association fibers are developed to the respective tangential direction throughout the cerebral hemispheres along the deepest border of the subplate during the fetal period. However, how guidance to remote areas is achieved is not known. Because the subplate is located below the cortical surface, the tangential direction of the fibers may be biased by the curved surface geometry due to Sylvian fissure and cortical poles. The fiber length can be minimized if the tracts follow the shortest paths (geodesics) of the curved surface. Here, we propose and examine a theory that geodesics guide the tangential direction of long association fibers by analyzing how geodesics are spatially distributed on the fetal human brains. We found that the geodesics were dense on the saddle-shaped surface of the perisylvian region and sparse on the dome-shaped cortical poles. The geodesics corresponded with the arrangement of five typical association fibers, supporting the theory. Thus, the geodesic theory provides directional guidance information for wiring remote areas and suggests that long association fibers emerge from minimizing their tangential length in fetal brains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Horibe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, 560-0043 Osaka, Japan
- Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, 560-8531 Osaka, Japan
| | - Gentaro Taga
- Department of Physical and Health Education, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Fujimoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, 560-0043 Osaka, Japan
- Program of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8526 Hiroshima, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li D, Wan C, Bai B, Cao H, Liu C, Zhang Q. Identification of histone acetylation markers in human fetal brains and increased H4K5ac expression in neural tube defects. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2019; 7:e1002. [PMID: 31612645 PMCID: PMC6900389 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Revised: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe common birth defects that result from a failure in neural tube closure (NTC). Our previous study has shown that decreased histone methylation altered the regulation of genes linked to NTC. However, the effect of alterations in histone acetylation in human fetuses with NTDs, which are another functional posttranslation modification, remains elusive. Thus, we aimed to identify acetylation sites and changes in histone in patients with NTDs. METHODS First, we identified histone acetylation sites between control human embryonic brain tissue and NTDs using Nano-HPLC-MS/MS. Next, we evaluated the level of histone acetylation both groups via western blotting (WB). Finally, we used LC-ESI-MS and WB to compare whether histone H4 acetylation was different in NTDs. RESULTS A total of 43 histone acetylation sites were identified in human embryonic brain tissue, which included 16 novel sites. Furthermore, we found an increased histone acetylation and H4K5ac in tissue with NTDs. CONCLUSION Our result present a comprehensive map of histone H4 modifications in the human fetal brain. Furthermore, we provide experimental evidence supporting a relationship between histone H4K5ac and NTDs. This offers a new insight into the pathological role of histone modifications in human NTDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China.,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Chunlei Wan
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Baoling Bai
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyan Cao
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | | | - Qin Zhang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Vasung L, Raguz M, Kostovic I, Takahashi E. Spatiotemporal Relationship of Brain Pathways during Human Fetal Development Using High-Angular Resolution Diffusion MR Imaging and Histology. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:348. [PMID: 28744187 PMCID: PMC5504538 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to identify major fiber pathways and their spatiotemporal relationships within transient fetal zones in the human fetal brain by comparing postmortem high-angular resolution diffusion MR imaging (HARDI) in combination with deterministic streamline tractography and histology. Diffusion weighted imaging was performed on postmortem human fetal brains [N = 9, age = 18–34 post-conceptual weeks (PCW)] that were grossly normal with no pathologic abnormalities. After HARDI was performed, the fibers were reconstructed using Q-ball algorithm and deterministic streamline tractography. The position of major fiber pathways within transient fetal zones was identified both on diffusion weighted images and on histological sections. Our major findings include: (1) the development of massive projection fibers by 18 PCW, as compared to most association fibers (with the exception of limbic fibers) which have only begun to emerge, (2) the characteristic laminar distribution and sagittal plane geometry of reconstructed fibers throughout development, (3) the protracted prenatal development shown of the corpus collosum and its' associated fibers, as well as the association fibers, and (4) the predomination of radial coherence in the telencephalon (i.e., majority of streamlines in the telencephalic wall were radially oriented) during early prenatal period (24 PCW). In conclusion, correlation between histology and HARDI (in combination with Q-ball reconstruction and deterministic streamline tractography) allowed us to detect sequential development of fiber systems (projection, callosal, and association), their spatial relations with transient fetal zones, and their geometric properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lana Vasung
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, United States
| | - Marina Raguz
- School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of ZagrebZagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivica Kostovic
- School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of ZagrebZagreb, Croatia
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bagasrawala I, Zecevic N, Radonjić NV. N-Methyl D-Aspartate Receptor Antagonist Kynurenic Acid Affects Human Cortical Development. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:435. [PMID: 27746712 PMCID: PMC5043058 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Kynurenic acid (KYNA), a neuroactive metabolite of tryptophan degradation, acts as an endogenous N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist. Elevated levels of KYNA have been observed in pregnant women after viral infections and are considered to play a role in neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the consequences of KYNA-induced NMDAR blockade in human cortical development still remain elusive. To study the potential impact of KYNA on human neurodevelopment, we used an in vitro system of multipotent cortical progenitors, i.e., radial glia cells (RGCs), enriched from human cerebral cortex at mid-gestation (16–19 gestational weeks). KYNA treatment significantly decreased RGCs proliferation and survival by antagonizing NMDAR. This alteration resulted in a reduced number of cortical progenitors and neurons while number and activation of astrocytes increased. KYNA treatment reduced differentiation of RGCs into GABAergic neurons, while differentiation into glutamatergic neurons was relatively spared. Furthermore, in mixed cortical cultures KYNA triggered an inflammatory response as evidenced by increased levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. In conclusion, elevated levels of KYNA play a significant role in human RGC fate determination by antagonizing NMDARs and by activating an inflammatory response. The altered cell composition observed in cell culture following exposure to elevated KYNA levels suggests a mechanism for impairment of cortical circuitry formation in the fetal brain after viral infection, as seen in neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inseyah Bagasrawala
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Nada Zecevic
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Nevena V Radonjić
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Farmington, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tkachenko LA, Zykin PA, Nasyrov RA, Krasnoshchekova EI. Distinctive Features of the Human Marginal Zone and Cajal-Retzius Cells: Comparison of Morphological and Immunocytochemical Features at Midgestation. Front Neuroanat 2016; 10:26. [PMID: 27047346 PMCID: PMC4797683 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2016.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite a long history of research of cortical marginal zone (MZ) organization and development, a number of issues remain unresolved. One particular issue is the problem of Cajal-Retzius cells (C-R) identification. It is currently based on morphology and Reelin expression. The aim of this research is to investigate MZ cytoarchitectonics and Reelin-producing cells morphotypes in the superior temporal, pre- and postcentral cortex at GW24-26. We used Reelin (Reln) as the marker for C-R cells and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and neurofilament heavy chain protein (N200) as markers of neuronal maturation. The MZ of all of the investigated areas had the distinct cytoarchitectonic of alternating cell sparse (MZP, SR) and cell dense (SGL, DGL) layers. The distribution of the neuromarkers across the MZ also showed layer specificity. MAP2-positive cells were only found in the SGL. N200 and Reelin-positive neurons in the MZP. N200-positive processes were forming a plexus at the DGL level. All of the N200-positive neurons found were in the MZP and had distinctive morphological features of C-R cells. All of the N200-positive neurons in MZ were also positive for Reelin, whereas MAP2-positive cells lack Reelin. Thus, the joint use of two immunomarkers allowed us to discern the C-R cells based on their morphotype and neurochemistry and indicate that the Reelin-positive cells of MZ at 24-26 GW were morphologically C-R cells. In the current study, we identified three C-R cells morphotypes. Using a 3D reconstruction, we made sure that all of them belonged to the single morphotype of triangular C-R cells. This approach will allow future studies to separate C-R cells from other Reelin-producing neurons which appear at later corticogenesis stages. In addition, our findings support the assumption that a plexus could be formed not only with C-R cells processes but also possibly by other cell processes by the poorly researched DGL, which is only allocated as a part of the human MZ.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lyubov A. Tkachenko
- Laboratory of Functional Neuromorphology, Department of Cytology and Histology, Saint-Petersburg State UniversitySaint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Pavel A. Zykin
- Laboratory of Functional Neuromorphology, Department of Cytology and Histology, Saint-Petersburg State UniversitySaint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ruslan A. Nasyrov
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Saint-Petersburg State Pediatric Medical UniversitySaint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elena I. Krasnoshchekova
- Laboratory of Functional Neuromorphology, Department of Cytology and Histology, Saint-Petersburg State UniversitySaint-Petersburg, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Vasung L, Lepage C, Radoš M, Pletikos M, Goldman JS, Richiardi J, Raguž M, Fischi-Gómez E, Karama S, Huppi PS, Evans AC, Kostovic I. Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Transient Fetal Compartments during Prenatal Human Brain Development. Front Neuroanat 2016; 10:11. [PMID: 26941612 PMCID: PMC4764715 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2016.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebral wall of the human fetal brain is composed of transient cellular compartments, which show characteristic spatiotemporal relationships with intensity of major neurogenic events (cell proliferation, migration, axonal growth, dendritic differentiation, synaptogenesis, cell death, and myelination). The aim of the present study was to obtain new quantitative data describing volume, surface area, and thickness of transient compartments in the human fetal cerebrum. Forty-four postmortem fetal brains aged 13–40 postconceptional weeks (PCW) were included in this study. High-resolution T1 weighted MR images were acquired on 19 fetal brain hemispheres. MR images were processed using in-house software (MNI-ACE toolbox). Delineation of fetal compartments was performed semi-automatically by co-registration of MRI with histological sections of the same brains, or with the age-matched brains from Zagreb Neuroembryological Collection. Growth trajectories of transient fetal compartments were reconstructed. The composition of telencephalic wall was quantitatively assessed. Between 13 and 25 PCW, when the intensity of neuronal proliferation decreases drastically, the relative volume of proliferative (ventricular and subventricular) compartments showed pronounced decline. In contrast, synapse- and extracellular matrix-rich subplate compartment continued to grow during the first two trimesters, occupying up to 45% of telencephalon and reaching its maximum volume and thickness around 30 PCW. This developmental maximum coincides with a period of intensive growth of long cortico-cortical fibers, which enter and wait in subplate before approaching the cortical plate. Although we did not find significant age related changes in mean thickness of the cortical plate, the volume, gyrification index, and surface area of the cortical plate continued to exponentially grow during the last phases of prenatal development. This cortical expansion coincides developmentally with the transformation of embryonic cortical columns, dendritic differentiation, and ingrowth of axons. These results provide a quantitative description of transient human fetal brain compartments observable with MRI. Moreover, they will improve understanding of structural-functional relationships during brain development, will enable correlation between in vitro/in vivo imaging and fine structural histological studies, and will serve as a reference for study of perinatal brain injuries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lana Vasung
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of ZagrebZagreb, Croatia; Division of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, University of GenevaGeneva, Switzerland
| | - Claude Lepage
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics, McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Milan Radoš
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mihovil Pletikos
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of ZagrebZagreb, Croatia; Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of MedicineNew Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jennifer S Goldman
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics, McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jonas Richiardi
- Laboratory of Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marina Raguž
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Elda Fischi-Gómez
- Division of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, University of Geneva Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sherif Karama
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics, McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Petra S Huppi
- Division of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, University of Geneva Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alan C Evans
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics, McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ivica Kostovic
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb Zagreb, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mitter C, Jakab A, Brugger PC, Ricken G, Gruber GM, Bettelheim D, Scharrer A, Langs G, Hainfellner JA, Prayer D, Kasprian G. Validation of In utero Tractography of Human Fetal Commissural and Internal Capsule Fibers with Histological Structure Tensor Analysis. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:164. [PMID: 26732460 PMCID: PMC4689804 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography offer the unique possibility to visualize the developing white matter macroanatomy of the human fetal brain in vivo and in utero and are currently under investigation for their potential use in the diagnosis of developmental pathologies of the human central nervous system. However, in order to establish in utero DTI as a clinical imaging tool, an independent comparison between macroscopic imaging and microscopic histology data in the same subject is needed. The present study aimed to cross-validate normal as well as abnormal in utero tractography results of commissural and internal capsule fibers in human fetal brains using postmortem histological structure tensor (ST) analysis. In utero tractography findings from two structurally unremarkable and five abnormal fetal brains were compared to the results of postmortem ST analysis applied to digitalized whole hemisphere sections of the same subjects. An approach to perform ST-based deterministic tractography in histological sections was implemented to overcome limitations in correlating in utero tractography to postmortem histology data. ST analysis and histology-based tractography of fetal brain sections enabled the direct assessment of the anisotropic organization and main fiber orientation of fetal telencephalic layers on a micro- and macroscopic scale, and validated in utero tractography results of corpus callosum and internal capsule fiber tracts. Cross-validation of abnormal in utero tractography results could be achieved in four subjects with agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) and in two cases with malformations of internal capsule fibers. In addition, potential limitations of current DTI-based in utero tractography could be demonstrated in several brain regions. Combining the three-dimensional nature of DTI-based in utero tractography with the microscopic resolution provided by histological ST analysis may ultimately facilitate a more complete morphologic characterization of axon guidance disorders at prenatal stages of human brain development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Mitter
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria; Institute of Neurology, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - András Jakab
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter C Brugger
- Department of Systematic Anatomy, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerda Ricken
- Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerlinde M Gruber
- Department of Systematic Anatomy, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Dieter Bettelheim
- Division of Obstetrics and Feto-maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Anke Scharrer
- Clinical Institute for Pathology, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Langs
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Daniela Prayer
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wang R, Dai G, Takahashi E. High Resolution MRI Reveals Detailed Layer Structures in Early Human Fetal Stages: In Vitro Study with Histologic Correlation. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:150. [PMID: 26834575 PMCID: PMC4714631 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
An understanding of normal fetal brain development is essential in detecting the early onset of brain disorders. It is challenging to obtain high-quality images that show detailed local anatomy in the early fetal stages because the fetal brain is very small with rapidly-changing complex structures related to brain development, including neurogenesis, neuronal migration, and axonal elongation. Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies detected three layers throughout the fetal cerebral wall that showed differences in MR contrasts at 10 gestational weeks (GW), which is one of the earliest ages studied using MRI. Contrary to the MRI studies, histological studies found more layers at this fetal age. The purpose of this work is to study the development of brain structures from an early fetal period to an early second trimester stage using ex vivo MRI and compare it to histology. Special attention was paid to laminar structures in the cerebral wall. T2-weighted imaging was performed on fetal brain specimens ranging from 10 GW to 18 GW on a 4.7 tesla MR scanner. We obtained standard grayscale as well as color-coded images using weighted red-green-blue scales, and compared them with the histological images. Our study confirmed laminar structure in the cerebral wall in all the fetal specimens studied. We found that MRI detected four layers within the cerebral wall as early as 10 GW during the early fetal period (10–13 GW). Early second trimester (15–18 GW) was characterized by the emergence of subplate structures and five layers within the cerebral wall. The color-coded images were more useful than the standard grayscale images in detecting the laminar structures. Scans with appropriate parameters from a high tesla MR scanner showed detailed laminar structures even through a very small and thin cerebral wall at 10 GW ex vivo. A combination of high-resolution structural imaging and color-coding processing with histological analysis may be a potential tool for studying detailed structures of typical developing fetal brains, as well as fetal brains with developmental disorders as references for clinical MRI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rongpin Wang
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Guizhou Provincial People's HospitalGuiyang, China
| | - Guangping Dai
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Colvin SM, Kwan KY. Dysregulated nitric oxide signaling as a candidate mechanism of fragile X syndrome and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Front Genet 2014; 5:239. [PMID: 25101118 PMCID: PMC4105824 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A mechanistic understanding of the pathophysiology underpinning psychiatric disorders is essential for the development of targeted molecular therapies. For fragile X syndrome (FXS), recent mechanistic studies have been focused on the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) signaling pathway. This line of research has led to the discovery of promising candidate drugs currently undergoing various phases of clinical trial, and represents a model of how biological insights can inform therapeutic strategies in neurodevelopmental disorders. Although mGluR signaling is a key mechanism at which targeted treatments can be directed, it is likely to be one of many mechanisms contributing to FXS. A more complete understanding of the molecular and neural underpinnings of the disorder is expected to inform additional therapeutic strategies. Alterations in the assembly of neural circuits in the neocortex have been recently implicated in genetic studies of autism and schizophrenia, and may also contribute to FXS. In this review, we explore dysregulated nitric oxide signaling in the developing neocortex as a novel candidate mechanism of FXS. This possibility stems from our previous work demonstrating that neuronal nitric oxide synthase 1 (NOS1 or nNOS) is regulated by the FXS protein FMRP in the mid-fetal human neocortex. Remarkably, in the mid-late fetal and early postnatal neocortex of human FXS patients, NOS1 expression is severely diminished. Given the role of nitric oxide in diverse neural processes, including synaptic development and plasticity, the loss of NOS1 in FXS may contribute to the etiology of the disorder. Here, we outline the genetic and neurobiological data that implicate neocortical dysfunction in FXS, review the evidence supporting dysregulated nitric oxide signaling in the developing FXS neocortex and its contribution to the disorder, and discuss the implications for targeting nitric oxide signaling in the treatment of FXS and other psychiatric illnesses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Colvin
- Department of Human Genetics - The Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan Medical School Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kenneth Y Kwan
- Department of Human Genetics - The Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan Medical School Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Huang H, Jeon T, Sedmak G, Pletikos M, Vasung L, Xu X, Yarowsky P, Richards LJ, Kostovic I, Sestan N, Mori S. Coupling diffusion imaging with histological and gene expression analysis to examine the dynamics of cortical areas across the fetal period of human brain development. Cereb Cortex 2012; 23:2620-31. [PMID: 22933464 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As a prominent component of the human fetal brain, the structure of the cerebral wall is characterized by its laminar organization which includes the radial glial scaffold during fetal development. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is useful to quantitatively delineate the microstructure of the developing brain and to clearly identify transient fetal layers in the cerebral wall. In our study, the spatio-temporal microstructural changes in the developing human fetal cerebral wall were quantitatively characterized with high-resolution DTI data of postmortem fetal brains from 13 to 21 gestational weeks. Eleven regions of interest for each layer in the entire cerebral wall were included. Distinctive time courses of microstructural changes were revealed for 11 regions of the neocortical plate. A histological analysis was also integrated to elucidate the relationship between DTI fractional anisotropy (FA) and histology. High FA values correlated with organized radial architecture in histological image. Expression levels of 17565 genes were quantified for each of 11 regions of human fetal neocortex from 13 to 21 gestational weeks to identify transcripts showing significant correlation with FA change. These correlations suggest that the heterogeneous and regionally specific microstructural changes of the human neocortex are related to different gene expression patterns.
Collapse
|