Satoru Takeshita, Hiroki Kakita, Nami Nakamura, Mari Mori, Kohki Toriuchi, Hiromasa Aoki, Yasumichi Inoue, Hidetoshi Hayashi, Yasumasa Yamada, Mineyoshi Aoyama
Chronic hypoxia in utero causes intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) of the fetus. IUGR infants are known to be at higher risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, but the mechanism is unclear. In this study, we analyzed the structure of the cerebral cortex using IUGR model rats generated through a reduced uterine perfusion pressure operation. IUGR rats exhibited thinner cerebral white matter and enlarged lateral ventricles compared with control rats. Expression of neuron cell markers, Satb2, microtubule-associated protein (MAP)-2, α-tubulin, and nestin was reduced in IUGR rats, indicating that neurons were diminished at various developmental stages in IUGR rats, from neural stem cells to mature neurons...
April 16, 2024: Experimental Neurology