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Cerebellar microfolia and other abnormalities of neuronal growth, migration, and lamination in the Pit1dw-J homozygote mutant mouseThe Snell dwarf mouse (Pit1dw-J homozygote) has a mutation in the Pit1 gene that prevents the normal formation of the anterior pituitary. In neonates and adults there is almost complete absence of growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), thyroxin (T4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Since these hormones have been suggested to play a role in normal development of the central nervous system (CNS), we have investigated the effects of the Pit1dw-J mutation on the cerebellum and hippocampal formation. In the cerebellum, there were abnormalities of both foliation and lamination. The major foliation anomalies were 1) changes in the relative size of specific folia and also the proportional sizes of the anterior vs posterior cerebellum; and 2) the presence of between one and three microfolia per half cerebellum. The microfolia were all in the medial portion of the hemisphere in the caudal part of the cerebellum. Each microfolium was just rostral to a normal fissure and interposed between the fissure and a normal gyrus. Lamination abnormalities included an increase in the number of single ectopic granule cells in the molecular layer in both cerebellar vermis (86%) and hemisphere (40%) in comparison with the wild-type mouse. In the hippocampus of the Pit1dw-J homozygote mouse, the number of pyramidal cells was decreased, although the width of the pyramidal cell layer throughout areas CA1-CA3 appeared to be normal, but less densely populated than in the wild-type mouse. Moreover, the number of granule cells that form the granule cell layer was decreased from the wild-type mouse and some ectopic granule cells (occurring both as single cells and as small clusters) were observed in the innermost portion of the molecular layer. The abnormalities observed in the Pit1dw-J homozygote mouse seem to be caused by both direct and indirect effects of the deficiency of TSH (or T4), PRL, or GH rather than by a direct effect of the deletion of Pit1.
Document ID
20040142204
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Sekiguchi, M.
(Tokai University School of Medicine Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan)
Abe, H.
Moriya, M.
Tanaka, O.
Nowakowski, R. S.
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
October 26, 1998
Publication Information
Publication: The Journal of comparative neurology
Volume: 400
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0021-9967
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NS 33433
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Non-NASA Center
NASA Discipline Neuroscience

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