RT Journal Article
T1 Cochlear aqueduct revisited: A histological study using human fetuses
A1 Ho Cho, Kwang
A1 Kim, Ji Hyun
A1 Honkura, Yohei
A1 Yamamoto, Masahito
A1 Murakami, Gen
A1 Rodríguez Vázquez, José Francisco
A1 Katori, Yukio
AB Background and aimThe cochlear aqueduct (CA) connects between the perilymphatic space of the cochlea and the subarachnoid space in the posterior cranial fossa. The study aimed to examine 1) whether cavitation of the CA occurs on the subarachnoid side or the cochlear side and 2) the growth and/or degeneration of the CA and its concomitant vein.MethodsWe examined paraffin-embedded histological sections from human fetuses: 15 midterm fetuses (crown-rump length or CRL, 39–115 mm) and 12 near-term fetuses (CRL, 225–328 mm).ResultsA linear mesenchymal condensation, i.e., a likely candidate of the CA anlage, was observed without the accompanying vein at 9–10 weeks. The vein appeared until 15 weeks, but it was sometimes distant from the CA. At 10–12 weeks, the subarachnoid space (or the epidural space) near the glossopharyngeal nerve rapidly protruded into the CA anlage and reached the scala tympani, in which cavitation was gradually on-going but without epithelial lining. However, CA cavitation did not to occur in the anlage. At the opening to the scala, the epithelial-like lining of the CA lost its meningeal structure. At near-term, the CA was often narrowed and obliterated.ConclusionThe CA develops from meningeal tissues when the cavitation of the scala begins. The latter cavitation seemed to reduce tissue stiffness leading, to meningeal protrusion. The so-called anlage of CA might be a phylogenetic remnant of the glossopharyngeal nerve branch. A course of cochlear veins appears to be determined by a rule different from the CA development.
PB Elsevier
SN 0940-9602
YR 2024
FD 2024-04
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/108927
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/108927
LA eng
NO Cho, K. H., Kim, J. H., Honkura, Y., Yamamoto, M., Murakami, G., Rodríguez-Vázquez, J. F., & Katori, Y. (2024). Cochlear aqueduct revisited: A histological study using human fetuses. Annals of anatomy = Anatomischer Anzeiger : official organ of the Anatomische Gesellschaft, 253, 152236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aanat.2024.152236
NO Wonkwang University
DS Docta Complutense
RD 25 abr 2025