Ependymal cells

'Ependymal Cells'

The ventricles of the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord are lined with ependymal cells.

The cells are often cilated and form a simple cuboidal or low columnar epithelium.

The lack of tight junctions between ependymal cells allows a free exchange between cerebrospinal fluid and nervous tissue.�

Ependymal cells can specialise into tanycytes, which are rarely ciliated and have long basal processes.

Tanycytes form the ventricular lining over the few CNS regions in which the blood-brain barrier is incomplete.

They do form tight junctions and control the exchange of substances between these regions and surrounding nervous tissue or cerebrospinal fluid.