The central nervous system develops around a fluid filled space which persists in the adult within the ventricles, spinal canal and around the outside of the brain and spinal cord. Ventricular fluid is known to act as a growth medium and stimulator of proliferation and differentiation to neural stem cells but the role of CSF in the subarachnoid space has not been fully investigated except for its role in the recently described "glymphatic" system. Fundamental changes occur in the control and coordination of CNS development upon completion of brain stem and spinal cord development and initiation of cortical development. These include changes in gene expression, changes in fluid and fluid source from neural tube fluid to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), changes in fluid volume, composition and fluid flow pathway, with exit of high volume CSF into the subarachnoid space and the critical need for fluid drainage. We used a number of experimental approaches to test a predicted critical role for CSF in development of the cerebral cortex in rodents and humans. Data from fetuses affected by spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus are correlated with experimental evidence on proliferation and migration of cortical cells from the germinal epithelium in rodent neural tube defects, as well as embryonic brain slice experiments demonstrating a requirement for CSF to contact both ventricular and pial surfaces of the developing cortex for normal proliferation and migration. We discuss the possibility that complications with the fluid system are likely to underlie developmental disorders affecting the cerebral cortex as well as function and integrity of the cortex throughout life.

中文翻译：

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蛛网膜下腔脊髓液对大脑皮质的正常发育至关重要。

中枢神经系统在充满液体的空间周围发育，该空间持续存在于成年人的脑室，脊髓管以及大脑和脊髓外部。已知心室液充当神经干细胞的增殖和分化的生长介质和刺激物，但是除了在最近描述的“淋巴系统”中的作用以外，尚未充分研究脑脊液在蛛网膜下腔中的作用。在完成脑干和脊髓发育以及启动皮质发育后，中枢神经系统发育的控制和协调发生根本性变化。其中包括基因表达的变化，从神经管液到脑脊液（CSF）的液体和液体源的变化，液体量，成分和液体流动路径的变化，大量脑脊液进入蛛网膜下腔，并迫切需要排液。我们使用了许多实验方法来测试CSF在啮齿动物和人类大脑皮层发育中的预测关键作用。受到脊柱裂和/或脑积水影响的胎儿的数据与啮齿动物神经管缺损中生发上皮皮质细胞增殖和迁移的实验证据以及表明脑脊液需要同时接触心室和脑的胚胎脑切片实验相关皮层的皮层表面正常增殖和迁移。