Embryo‐form Project : Study of the Human Spinal Cord Vascular System

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONWe proposed to review and illustrate the overall venous human spinal cord vascular embryonic organization using the latest current 3D‐reconstruction possibilities “The Embryo‐form project”MATERIAL & METHODHigh résolution numerised microscopic continuous sections (10 to 20 m) from Carnegie stage XIX to XXIII human embryo were used. Specific image treatment was the following : binarisation‐ thresholding‐labellisation, rigid shifting, median filtration (cubic matrix) (resolution 10mm/pixel) ; DICOM format images are exported for post‐treatment process. Angiographic rendering was obtained thanks to the Eosine/hematoxylin red cell fixation within the vessels.This gathering brought together 20 human embryos prepared in serial histological sections, collected during the mid 50's. We also get access to the Carnegie's embryos collection thanks to her curator Miss E Lockett. 20 Embryos were digitalized with a flatbed scanner at 2400 DPI resolutionRESULTSAt first step, we confirmed the embryonnic status relatively to the Carnegie classification in assessing the cochlear canal orientation. The evolutive morphology of the brain stem primitive network is presented ; at stage XIX, the initial longitudinal veins are separated from the caudal plexus. During the next stages, we demonstrate how they connected to transverse pial anastomoses.The next period (i.e the early and late post‐embryonic period) show these intrinsic pial veins lying between the arteries and the brain surface leading to a progressive simplication pattern. During the stages XX to XXIII, we present the changing morphology of the X, XI and XII nerve ganglion venous plexus. These organisations are compared to the Padget and Streeter works.CONCLUSIONWe present the preliminary work of the cervical spinal cord venous embryogenesis using 3D and angiographic rendering at the early post‐embryonic stagesThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.