Abstract

One of the most remarkable ongoing stories in the history of neuroscience is the nearly universal neglect of what is arguably the most strategically located structure in the central nervous system -- an enigmatic, thread-like aggregation of glycoproteins originating from the centre of the brain called Reissner's fibre. It is an anomaly, which, because it lies beyond the grasp of conventional theoretical and technological tools, has been rendered virtually invisible to neuroscientists. New tools, however, are poised to reveal the secrets of this unique, highly conserved structure which runs through the entire length of the fluid-filled cavities and passageways of the CNS.