The choroid plexus: function, pathology and therapeutic potential of its transplantation

• Published in: Expert opinion on biological therapy Vol. 4; no. 8; p. 1191
• Main Authors: Emerich, Dwaine F, Vasconcellos, Alfred V, Elliott, Robert B, Skinner, Stephen J M, Borlongan, Cesario V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.08.2004
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aging - physiology; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology; Animals; Apoptosis; Arachnoid - physiology; Atrophy; Brain - pathology; Brain Injuries - physiopathology; Brain Injuries - surgery; Brain Ischemia - pathology; Brain Ischemia - physiopathology; Cerebrospinal Fluid - secretion; Choroid Plexus - cytology; Choroid Plexus - pathology; Choroid Plexus - physiology; Choroid Plexus - secretion; Choroid Plexus - ultrastructure; Enzyme Induction; Epithelial Cells - transplantation; Humans; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Middle Aged; Nerve Growth Factors - secretion; Neurodegenerative Diseases - physiopathology; Rats; Regeneration; Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology; Spinal Cord Injuries - surgery
• ISSN: 1744-7682
• DOI: 10.1517/14712598.4.8.1191

The choroid plexus (CP) produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and forms the blood-CSF barrier. However, the CP may have additional functions in the CNS beyond these traditional roles. Preclinical and clinical studies in ageing and neurodegeneration demonstrate anatomical and physiological changes in CP, suggesting roles in normal and pathological conditions and potentially endogenous repair processes following trauma. One of the broadest functions of the CP is establishing and maintaining the extracellular milieu throughout the brain and spinal cord, in part by secreting numerous growth factors into the CSF. The endogenous secretion of growth factors raises the possibility that transplantable CP might enable delivery of these molecules to the brain, while avoiding the conventional molecular and genetic alterations associated with modifying cells to secrete selected products. This review describes some of the anatomical and functional changes of CP in ageing and neurodegeneration, and recent demonstrations of the therapeutic potential of transplanted CP for neural trauma.