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Identification of direct connections between the dura and the brain

ABSTRACT: The arachnoid barrier delineates the border between the central nervous system and dura mater. Although the arachnoid barrier creates a partition, communication between the central nervous system and the dura mater is crucial for waste clearance and immune surveillance. How the arachnoid barrier balances separation and communication is poorly understood. Leveraging transcriptomic data, we developed novel transgenic mice to examine specific anatomical structures that serve as routes across the arachnoid barrier. Bridging veins create discontinuities where they cross the arachnoid barrier, forming structures that we termed arachnoid cuff exit (ACE) points. The openings that ACE points create allow the exchange of fluids and molecules between the subarachnoid space and the dura, enabling the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid and limited entry of molecules from the dura to the subarachnoid space. In healthy human volunteers, MRI tracers transit along bridging veins in a similar fashion to access the subarachnoid space. Interestingly, in neuroinflammatory conditions such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, ACE points also allow cellular trafficking, representing a previously unknown route for immune cells to directly enter the subarachnoid space from the dura mater. Collectively, our results indicate that ACE points are a critical part of the anatomy of neuroimmune communication in both mice and humans that links the central nervous system with the dura and its immunological diversity and waste clearance systems.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE213895 | GEO | 2023/11/30

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Patient-derived cells hold great promise for precision medicine approaches in human health. Fibroblast cells have been a major source of human cells for reprogramming and differentiating into specific cell types for disease modeling. Such cells can be isolated at various stages during life (presymptomatic, symptomatic, and advanced disease) and thus can potentially be used to model different phases of disease progression. In certain circumstances, however, tissues are not collected during life and only postmortem tissues are the only available source of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts cultured from postmortem human dura mater of individuals with neurodegenerative diseases have been suggested as a primary source of cells for in vitro modeling of neurodegenerative diseases. Although fibroblast-like cells from human and mouse dura mater have been previously described, their utility for reprogramming and direct differentiation protocols requires further characterization. In this study, cells derived from dermal biopsies of living subjects were compared to cells derived from postmortem dura mater. In two instances, we have isolated and compared dermal and dural cell lines from the same subject. Notably, such striking differences were observed between cells of dermal and dural origin that their fibroblast nature was brought into question. Compared to dermal fibroblasts, postmortem dura mater-derived cells demonstrated different morphology, slower growth rates, and a higher rate of karyotype abnormality. Dura mater-derived cells also failed to express fibroblast protein markers. When dermal fibroblasts and dural-derived cells from the same subject were compared, they exhibited significant differences in gene expression profiles. Ultimately, dura mater-derived cells were found to originate from a mixed mural lineage consisting of smooth muscle cells and pericytes. Our study argues for rigorous karyotyping of all postmortem derived cell lines and highlights significant limitations of postmortem human dura mater-derived cells for modeling normal biology or disease-associated pathobiology.

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Identification of direct connections between the dura and the brain

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