SPECIES-SPECIFIC TRANSFER OF PLASMA-ALBUMIN FROM BLOOD INTO DIFFERENT CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID COMPARTMENTS IN THE FETAL SHEEP

Abstract

1. The blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) transfer of endogenous sheep albumin and several exogenous species of albumin has been investigated in different CSF compartments of the immature fetal sheep brain, at an early stage of development (60 days gestation, term is 150 days) when the CSF concentration of total protein is high. 2. There were marked differences in the steady-state CSF/plasma ratios for all species of albumin (including endogenous sheep albumin) between different CSF compartments. Ratios measured in the cisterna magna were significantly higher than those in the dorsal subarachnoid space, which in turn were higher than those in the lateral ventricles. The ratios for endogenous sh..