Central canal of spinal cord

The central channel ( central canal ) is situated in the center of the spinal cord canal which contains cerebrospinal fluid. It extends over the entire length of the spinal cord.

Together with the cerebral ventricles, and the subarachnoid space of the central channel forms a single common cavity, since all structures are interconnected by orifices.

The central channel is formed from the embryonic neural tube. During remain as cerebral ventricles in humans, the inner cavities (lumen) in the brain that occurs in the region of the spinal cord to the complete closure of the cavity - however, the channel is still open in some vertebrates. The central channel thus has no influence on the replacement of the cerebrospinal fluid. His former position is marked by ependymal cells that line it.

Location

The central channel is located in the gray matter of the spinal cord. At the distal end can be extended to the ventriculus terminalis. To the central channel lying around a narrow that tissue containing a few neurons and many glial cells, the substantia gelatinosa centralis.

Cranial ( against the skull ) borders the central channel to the fourth ventricle ( in the hindbrain, hindbrain ) - this place is also called the obex.

Pathology

In a spina bifida ( congenital paraplegia) remains under the closure of the neural tube, the residual is the central channel, and it remains an open connection between the central canal and skin exist that immediately needs to be surgically closed after birth.