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This Prenatal Mouse Brain Atlas provides comprehensive documentation of mouse brain development until shortly before birth (gestational day (GD) 19.5 average). It follows brain development
from early discernable structures in embryonic heads on GD 12 and GD 14 to more clearly defined structures in fetal brains on GD 16 and GD 18. For additional information, sections are presented in the
three cardinal planes, sagittal, coronal and horizontal. Genetic or toxicological manipulations may result in damaged offspring which are recognized by the mouse dams and cannibalized within the first
few days. This makes studying the effects of manipulation in postnatal animals problematic, thus giving importance to a prenatal mouse brain atlas.
For ease of use, we only use unabbreviated annotations. Structures are identified with terms used in adult animals even if they are only an anlage or a precursor. Tracts are often labeled even though axons
have not grown along the brightly eosin stained glial pathway. For convenience, a DVD is provided which contains all color images, matching drawings and the drawings superimposed on the images. This DVD provides an additional tool for the researcher who may want to print specific pages for further use.
The web site, Electronic Prenatal Mouse Brain Atlas, www.epmba.org, provides expanded sets of annotated GD 12 and GD 16 coronal images, which can be viewed in high magnification.
The GD 12 coronal set can also be viewed as 3D presentation, and can be virtually sectioned at different planes.
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