[Reissner's fiber in the central canal of primate spinal cord]

The Reissner's fibre (RF) in the canalis centralis of the spinal cord was studied with the aid of transmission and scanning electron microscope in Tupaia, Cebus, Sarmiri, Macaca, Alouatta, Ateles, Callithrix and Callicebus. The RF of the primates is structurally not different from the corresponding structure of other chordates. The diameter of the RF is slightly increasing in the canalis direction. The increase of the diameter varies between 2 and 5 micron. It is assumed that the increase is brought about by the inclusion of cell debris into the fibre. Material which definitely does not belong to the RF is found in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the canalis centralis and occasionally it adheres to the surface of the fibre. This material appears either as amorphous flocculent substances, the granulation of which differs in both density and size of the granula or as vesicles. If the material makes contact with the RF, a membrane-like structure may appear which is a condensation restricted to the area of the contact between material of different viscosity and granulation. The origin of this variable material is still not clarified. According to our observations, it is probably sequestrated material from ependymal cells. It is not a secretion as sometimes assumed since the intracellular processes of the synthesis of the secretion have not been observed.