Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2015, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (49): 7920-7925.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2015.49.009

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Behavioral and morphological changes of different spinal cord injury rat models 

Song Wei1, 2, Duan Hong-mei3, Rao Jia-sheng3, Zhao Can3, Yang Zhao-yang4   

  1. 1Capital Medical University of Rehabilitation Medicine, Beijing 100068, China; 2Rehabilitation Engineering Research Institute of China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing 100068, China; 3Biological and Medical Engineering College of Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; 4Beijing Institute of Neuroscience, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100054, China
  • Received:2015-09-25 Online:2015-11-30 Published:2015-11-30
  • Contact: Yang Zhao-yang, M.D., Associate professor, Master’s supervisor, Beijing Institute of Neuroscience, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100054, China
  • About author:Song Wei, Master, Associate professor, Senior engineer, Capital Medical University of Rehabilitation Medicine, Beijing 100068, China; Rehabilitation Engineering Research Institute of China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing 100068, China
  • Supported by:

    National Science and Technology Support Program, No. 2012BAI17B00

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Complete spinal cord transection models include cut-type injury and excision-type injury models. It is necessary to compare and discuss these two models, in order to select more appropriate animal models for studying spinal cord injury and repair.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the behavioral and pathological changes of different spinal cord injury models and to select the animal models of spinal cord injury which are more suitable for studying regeneration and treatment of injured spinal cord.
METHODS: One hundred and sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups to establish cut-type and excision-type spinal cord injury models. At 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 20, 30 and 50 weeks after operation, rat hindlimb locomotor skills were evaluated using BBB scores; histochemical staining and immunohistochemical staining were conducted to observe the residual fibers in injured area; at 4, 10, 26 and 52 weeks after operation, BDA-FITC tracer agent was respectively injected into the motor area of the cerebral cortex and cervical cord of 
rats, to further observe the continuity of residual fibers in injured area.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The BBB scores of rat hind limbs in cut-type spinal cord injury model group from 2 to 50 weeks after operation were significantly higher than those in excision-type spinal cord injury model group (P < 0.05). In cut-type spinal cord injury model group, there were a large amount of residual tissues, neurofilaments and glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive fibers in injured area, but there were almost no residual fibers in excision-type spinal cord injury model group. The corticospinal tract could pass through the injured area in neither cut-type spinal cord injury models nor excision-type spinal cord injury models and terminated at the cranial end of the injured area. In cut-type spinal cord injury models, the spinal cord propriospinal tract re-entered into the host spinal cord tissue at the caudal end, whereas the spinal cord propriospinal tract in excision-type spinal cord injury models terminated at the cranial end of the injured area. These results demonstrate that cut-type spinal cord injury models are more suitable for screening and evaluating the regeneration effect of treatments or drugs after spinal cord injury.  

 

CLC Number: