Persistence of Cajal-Retzius cells in the adult human cerebral cortex. An immunohistochemical study

Authors

  • Adelaida de la Calle
  • R. Martín
  • A. Gutiérrez
  • A. Peñafiel
  • M. Marín Padilla

Keywords:

cajal-retzius cell, cerebral cortex, calcium binding proteins, NADPH-diaphorase, human

Abstract

The presence of Cajal-Retzius cells in the adult human prefrontal and visual cortices has been demonstrated with calcium binding protein immunocytochemistry and NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry. These cells expressed parvalbumin, calbindin and calretinin calcium binding proteins and displayed NADPH-diaphorase enzyme activity. The three basic morphological profiles-horizontal, pyriform and multipolar-were observed. The morphologies of labelled cells resembled those of neurons observed in Golgi studies of the human cerebral cortex. The presence of calcium binding proteins and NADPH-diaphorase in these cells suggests a possible inhibitory role as GABAergic neurons. The persistence of Cajal-Retzius cells in the adult cerebral cortex supports the idea that they undergo developmental dilution rather than postnatal degeneration.

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