cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Examples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the following topics:

• Spinal Tap

  • A lumbar puncture, or spinal tap, is a procedure used to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), typically for diagnostic purposes.
  • A lumbar puncture, colloquially known as a spinal tap, is a diagnostic procedure performed in order to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for biochemical, microbiological, and cytological analysis.
  • The stylet from the spinal needle is then withdrawn and drops of cerebrospinal fluid are collected.
  • The opening pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid may also be recorded during the procedure.
  • Several substances found in cerebrospinal fluid are available for diagnostic measurement:

• Cerebrospinal Fluid and Its Circulation

  • Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear fluid that acts as a cushion for the brain and maintains overall central nervous system homeostasis.
  • The three biomarkers are CSF amyloid beta 1-42, total CSF tau protein, and P-Tau181P.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless bodily fluid that occupies the subarachnoid space and the ventricular system around and inside the brain and spinal cord.
  • Lumbar puncture is performed in an attempt to count the cells in the fluid and to detect the levels of protein and glucose.
  • Describe the role and circulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the nervous system

• Specimen Collection

  • There are several types of specimens recommended for diagnosis of immunological diseases including: serum samples, virology swab samples, biopsy and necropsy tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, whole blood for PCR, and urine samples.
  • Another type of specimen used for disease diagnosis is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
  • CSF specimens should be clear of any visible contamination or blood.
  • A lumbar puncture (or LP, and colloquially known as a spinal tap) is performed to collecte CSF.
  • This consists of the insertion of a hollow needle beneath the arachnoid membrane of the spinal cord in the lumbar region to withdraw cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostic purposes or to administer medication.

• Blood-Brain Barrier

  • Tight junctions present in the blood-brain barrier separate circulating blood from cerebrospinal fluid, regulating diffusion into the brain.
  • The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a separation of circulating blood from the brain extracellular fluid in the central nervous system (CNS).
  • In a later experiment, his student Edwin Goldmann found that when dye is directly injected into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of animals' brains, the brains were dyed while the rest of the organs were unaffected.
  • The diffusion of microscopic particles (e.g., bacteria), large molecules, and hydrophilic molecules into the CSF is restricted, while the diffusion of small hydrophobic molecules (O2, CO2, hormones) is permitted.

• The Nervous System

  • The space between the arachnoid and pia maters is filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
  • CSF is produced by a tissue called the choroid plexus in fluid-filled compartments in the CNS called ventricles.
  • The brain floats in CSF, which acts as a cushion and shock absorber, making the brain neutrally buoyant.
  • CSF also functions to circulate chemical substances throughout the brain and into the spinal cord.

• Meningitis

  • A needle is inserted into the spinal canal to extract a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which envelops the brain and spinal cord.
  • The CSF is examined in a medical laboratory.

• Ventricles

  • The ventricular system is a set of hollow cavities in the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
  • The ventricular system is a set of four interconnected cavities (ventricles) in the brain and the location of CSF production.
  • The CSF within the skull and spine is found between the pia mater and the arachnoid and provides further cushioning.
  • The fluid then flows around the superior sagittal sinus to be reabsorbed via the arachnoid villi into the venous system.
  • CSF within the spinal cord can flow all the way down to the lumbar cistern at the end of the cord around the cauda equina.

• Overview of the Spinal Cord

  • The space between the arachnoid and pia maters is called the subarachnoid space and is where the CSF is located.
  • It is from this location at the level of the lumbar region that CSF fluid is obtained in a spinal tap.
  • This central region surrounds the central canal, which is an anatomic extension of the spaces in the brain known as the ventricles and like the ventricles, contains cerebrospinal fluid.

• Body Fluid Composition

  • The pH of the intracellular fluid is 7.4.
  • The concentrations of the other ions in cytosol or intracellular fluid are quite different from those in extracellular fluid.
  • The extracellular fluid is mainly cations and anions.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid is similar in composition to blood plasma, but lacks most proteins, such as albumins because they are too large to pass through the blood-brain barrier.
  • Ocular fluid in the eyes contrasts cerebrospinal fluid by containing high concentrations of proteins, including antibodies.

• Fluid Compartments

  • The major body fluid compartments include: intracellular fluid and extracellular fluid (plasma, interstitial fluid, and trancellular fluid).
  • The intracellular fluid of the cytosol or intracellular fluid (or cytoplasm) is the fluid found inside cells.
  • Extracellular fluid (ECF) or extracellular fluid volume (ECFV) usually denotes all body fluid outside of cells.
  • It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid (all body fluid outside of cells).
  • Examples of this fluid are cerebrospinal fluid, and ocular fluid, joint fluid, and the pleaural cavity which contain fluid that is only found in their respective epithelium-lined spaces.