engleski

Spinal Cord Surgery

Spinal cord surgery is an experimental approach in a study of spinal cord injury. It could be performed on a variety of vertebrate models: fish, frog, lizard, mouse and rat. Each model possesses certain advantages and disadvantages. A fish nervous system continuously produces new neurons, therefore it can regenerate even long pathways like reticulospinal, but their nervous system morphology differs from any other vertebrate. The development of a frog nervous system is well described what is useful for regeneration studies, but tetraploidia of favorite species (Xenopus laevis) makes frogs unfavorable for genetic studies. A lizard (Gallotia galloti) was one of the first models for regeneration studies, but it has unique and species specific mechanism. A rodent model is similar to human in histopathological and physiological responses, but lesions are disabilitating and require daily care. The four most commonly used experimental models of spinal cord injury are: contusion injury, crush injury, partial (dorsal and lateral hemisection) and complete surgical transection. After surgery animals lose bladder control, may suffer a prolonged period of pain, stress and risk of infection and all demand daily monitoring. Depending on the experimental design behavioral studies follow motor and sensory functions from preoperative state up to weeks after surgery. The most usual is BBB (The Basso Beattie Bresnahan) Locomotor Rating Scale and Open Field Testing. Track tracing with Biotin Dextran Tetrarhodamine 10% (BDA 10, 000, molecular probe) injected centrally into the motor cortex, the usual method in screening regeneration, gives the best results if it is performed at least 12 days after surgery. You’ll be able to see and practice spinal cord surgery and post operative care, but being able to perform uniform lesions on experimental group of animals require skill gained by prolonged period of training.

spinal cord; surgical transactions; locomotor rating

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