Purkinje cell loss accompanies motor impairment in rats developing at altered gravity
Authors:
- Elizabeth M. Sajdel-SulkowskaESElizabeth M. Sajdel-Sulkowska
- Kosal NguonKNKosal Nguon
- Zachary L. SulkowskiZSZachary L. Sulkowski
- Glenn D. RosenGRGlenn D. Rosen
- Mark G. BaxterMBMark G. Baxter
- 1 December 2005
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wolters Kluwer Health in NeuroReport
- Vol. 16 (18) , 2037-2040
Abstract
We have previously reported that the developmental exposure of rats to altered gravity (1.65 g) from gestational day 8 to postnatal day 21 impacts motor functions and cerebellar structure. The present study examined whether the decrease in cerebellar mass accompanied by impaired performance on a rotorod in hypergravity-exposed rats was related to a decrease in Purkinje cell number. The total number of Purkinje cells was determined on postnatal day 21 using a stereological analysis applied to paraformaldehyde-fixed cerebellar samples subsequently embedded in celloidin. Total Purkinje cell number was decreased by 17.7–25.3%. These results imply that exposure to altered gravity during Purkinje cell birth may affect their proliferation, resulting in a decrease in Purkinje cell number, which, in turn, leads to motor impairment.Keywords
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