Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery
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The aim of the present investigation is to determine whether or not hydrocephalus occurring in hydrocephalic Wistar-Imamichi strain rats (WIC-Hyd) is caused by functional and structural disorders of ependymal cilia. Ultrastructures and movement of cilia in the ependyma of the lateral, III and IV ventricles and aqueduct of Sylvius and in the trachea walls of the animals were examined by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and light microscopy using a phase-contrast microscope equipped with a high-speed video recording system. SEM revealed that a marked decrease in the length and number of cilia in the ependymal and tracheal walls occurred in affected male WIC-Hyd. ⋯ The incidence of these ultrastructural abnormalities was found to be greater in affected male rats than in affected female rats. All cilia in affected male rats before and after development of hydrocephalus were immotile. A variety of movement disorders such as immobile, rotatory, and vibratory cilia were observed beside normally beating cilia (motile cilia) in affected female rats which never developed hydrocephalus as severe as that seen in affected male rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)