Experimental Models of Spinal Cord Injury in Laboratory Rats

Minakov, Alexey N.; Chernov, A. S.; Asutin, D S; Konovalov, Nikolay; Telegin, G. B.

doi:10.32607/20758251-2018-10-3-4-10

Cited by 19 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…Broad opportunities for studying the morphological and pathophysiological changes in patients with SCI, which are necessary for developing rational treatment strategies, have made it possible to progress from clinical observations to developing experimental models [ 4 ]. This approach has allowed one to elucidate many pathogenetically significant mechanisms that underly the development of this pathology, including those associated with the immune responses to the injury; so, these responses were classified into immediate and chronic post-traumatic reactions [ 5 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytokine profile as a marker of cell damage and immune dysfunction after spinal cord injury

et al. 2020

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This study reviews the findings of recent experiments designed to investigate the cytokine profile after a spinal cord injury. The role played by key cytokines in eliciting the cellular response to trauma was assessed. The results of the specific immunopathogenetic interaction between the nervous and immune systems in the immediate and chronic post-traumatic periods are summarized. It was demonstrated that it is reasonable to use the step-by-step approach to the assessment of the cytokine profile after a spinal cord injury and take into account the combination of the pathogenetic and protective components in implementing the regulatory effects of individual cytokines and their integration into the regenerative processes in the injured spinal cord. This allows one to rationally organize treatment and develop novel drugs.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytokine profile as a marker of cell damage and immune dysfunction after spinal cord injury

et al. 2020

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“…The reparative capabilities (both spontaneous and induced) of the spinal cord after trauma are rather poor, which has encouraged an exhaustive search for causes that explain such lack of healing and for therapeutic alternatives 1 . Most of the studies focused on these issues are conducted using rodent models 2 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High‐resolution Micro‐CT Myelography to Assess Spinal Subarachnoid Space Changes After Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Zambrano-Rodríguez

Bolaños-Puchet

Reyes-Alva

et al. 2020

Journal of Neuroimaging

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The spinal subarachnoid space (SSAS) is vital for neurologic function. Although SSAS alterations are known to occur after spinal cord injury (SCI), there is a lack of high‐resolution imaging studies of the SSAS after SCI in rodents. Therefore, the aim here was to assess changes in the SSAS of rats subjected to graded SCI, using high‐resolution micro‐CT myelography. METHODS Long‐Evans adult rats were subjected to mild or severe spinal cord contusion at T9. Imaging studies of SSAS features were carried out in injured rats at acute (day 1) and subacute (day 15) stages postinjury, as well as in control rats, using high‐resolution micro‐CT myelography with a contrast‐enhanced digital subtraction protocol. We studied a total of 33 rats randomly allocated into five experimental groups. Micro‐CT myelograms were assessed by expert observers using both qualitative and quantitative criteria. RESULTS Qualitative and quantitative analyses showed that SCI induces changes in the SSAS that vary as a function of both injury severity and time elapsed after injury. SSAS blockage was the main alteration detected. Moreover, the method used here allowed fine details to be observed in small animals, such as variations in the preferential pathways for contrast medium flow, neuroimaging nerve root enhancement, and leakage of contrast medium due to tearing of the dural sac. CONCLUSION Micro‐CT myelography provides high‐resolution images of changes in the SSAS after SCI in rats and is a useful tool for further experimental studies involving rat SCI in vivo.

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“…Rodent models are typically used in the experiments with SCI induction to assess compression-or contusion-simulating impact [9][10][11]. Though these SCI models reproduce a realistic clinical course of the spinal cord injury in humans, they have multiple drawbacks, in particular, the impossibility to induce a «standardized» defect.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new model of spinal cord injury by cryoapplication: Morphodynamics of histological changes of the spinal cord lesion

Telegin

Minakov

Chernov

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Up to 500,000 people worldwide suffer from spinal cord injuries (SCI) annually, according to the WHO. Animal models are essential for searching novel methodological guidelines and therapeutic agents for SCI treatment. We developed an original model of posttraumatic spinal cord glial scar in rats using cryoapplication. The method is based on cryodestruction of spinal cord tissue with liquid nitrogen. Thirty six male SD linear rats of SPF category were included in this experimental study. A T13 unilateral hemilaminectomy was performed with an operating microscope, as it was extremely important not to penetrate the dura mater, and liquid nitrogen was applied into the bone defect for one minute. The animals were euthanized at various intervals ranging from 1 to 60 days after inducing cryogenic trauma, their Th12-L1 vertebrae were removed “en bloc” and the segment of the spinal cord exposed to the cryoapplicator was carefully separated for histological examination. The study results demonstrated that cryoapplication of liquid nitrogen, provoking a local temperature of approximately minus 20°C, produced a highly standardized transmural defect which extended throughout the dorsoventral arrangement of the spinal cord and had an “hour-glass” shape. During the entire study period (1-60 post-injury days), the glial scarring process and the spinal cord defect were located within the surgically approached vertebral space (Th13). Unlike other available experimental models of SCI (compression, contusion, chemical, etc.), the present option is characterized by a minimal invasiveness (the hemilaminectomy is less than 1 mm wide), high precision and consistency. Also, there was a low interanimal variability in histological lesions and dimensions of the produced defect. The original design of cryoapplicator used in the study played a major role in achieving these results. The original technique of high-precision cryoapplication for inducing consistent morphodynamic glial scarring could facilitate a better understanding of the self-recovery processes of injured spinal cord and would be helpful for proposing new platforms for the development of therapeutic strategies.

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Experimental Models of Spinal Cord Injury in Laboratory Rats

Cited by 19 publications

References 87 publications

Cytokine profile as a marker of cell damage and immune dysfunction after spinal cord injury

Cytokine profile as a marker of cell damage and immune dysfunction after spinal cord injury

High‐resolution Micro‐CT Myelography to Assess Spinal Subarachnoid Space Changes After Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

A new model of spinal cord injury by cryoapplication: Morphodynamics of histological changes of the spinal cord lesion

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