PATHOLOGICAL-CHANGES IN EXPOSED NEURAL TISSUE OF FETAL DELAYED SPLOTCH (SPD) MICE

If meningomyelocele is indeed a progressive intrauterine process, then early delivery or possibly intrauterine repair of meningomyelocele be comes an issue. Utilizing the delayed splotch (Spd) mouse, a genetical ly transmitted neural tube defect model, we looked for evidence of abn ormalities of neural tissue exposed to amniotic fluid. Affected embryo nic and fetal mice were examined with the light microscope, and also w ith the transmission and scanning electron microscope. Neuronal develo pment and programmed cell death paralleled normal fetal development. N o evidence of inflammation on or within the exposed neural tissue was observed. Because the Vascular supply to the alar and basilar plate ar e different, vascular development was also examined and no difference could be found. In conclusion, we found no evidence of deterioration o f the exposed neural tube during the gestational period of a mouse, wh ich suggests that exposure of unneurulated spinal cord to amniotic flu id is not a risk factor to the fetus with a neural tube defect.