STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION OF SPINAL CORD AND MEDULLA OBLONGATA IN SIAMESE TWINS

Abstract

Objective: set the particular structure and morphometric parameters of medulla oblongata and spinal cord in Siamese twins with 18-week gestation of the intrauterine development. Material and methods . The morphological study was conducted on oblongata and spinal cord of female conjoined twins (thoraco-omfalopag) with the gestational age of 18 weeks. The measurement of the parietal-coccygeal length of the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the medulla oblongata and the spinal cord was performed by conventional methods. The material for the study was obtained as a result of abortion for medical reasons. From the material paraffin blocks were made for performing serial sections of the spinal cord and medulla. The slides were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, toluidine blue, Van-Gieson, and silver impregnation by Bilshovski. The resultant preparations were visually evaluated under the microscope Micromed XS 5520, video capture camera performed ScienceLab DCM 520. Statistical processing of digital data using a standard software package «Statistica 8.0» by Statsoft company. Results. The work presents the results of anatomical and histological examination of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord of the thoraco-omfalopaga human fetus of 18 weeks of fetal development. Conclusion. We found out the peculiarities of architectonic structures and morphometric parameters of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord, as well as the topography and size of the nuclei, the degree of differentiation of their constituent neurons.