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We dedicate this book to the memory of Dr.
Raymond J. Russo, an enthusiastic Professor of
Biology, Indiana University–Purdue University
in Indianapolis. He introduced us to the marvel-
We thank our friend, Dr. William DeMyer,
a pediatric neurologist at Riley Hospital for Chil-
dren, Indiana University Medical Center, India-
napolis, Indiana for access to his personal library
on human central nervous system development,
which included a fragile copy of Hochstetter’s
1919 publication. We also thank the staff of the
National Museum of Health and Medicine at
the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Walter
Reed Hospital, Washington, D.C.: Dr. Adrianne
Noe, Director; Archibald J. Fobbs, Curator of
It is our hope that this fi rst volume will
update knowledge of the developing human
spinal cord and provide new insights into the
steps involved in the morphogenesis of the
mature spinal cord. All Companion Plates in this
Atlas are presented in a “user friendly” format so
that the reader can view unlabeled and labeled
photographs on facing pages. The fi rst Compan-
ion Plate (2A-2B) shows the human spinal cord
at the 4th gestational week at its most primitive
stage consisting mainly of neuroepithelial stem
cells (NEP cells). The last set of Companion
Plates (104A-104B to 117A-117B) shows a
spinal cord nearing maturity in the 4th postnatal
month. What lies in between these Companion
Plates are “freeze frames” of the developmental
record. The large sections on 3-dimensional
reconstructions provide holistic views of the
developing spinal cord at critical stages when
maturing structures fi rst appear during the fi rst
and early second trimesters (Figures 2 through
32). A Glossary at the end of the book gives a
brief defi nition of each structure that is labeled in
the Plates and Figures.
Shirley A. Bayer
Joseph Altman
DEDICATION
ous graphic capabilities of Macintosh Computers
and generously helped us with our fi rst attempts
at 3D reconstructions of the developing nervous
system.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS