using-laser-doppler-imaging-monitoring-to-analyze-spinal-cord

Using Laser Doppler Imaging and Monitoring to Analyze Spinal Cord Microcirculation in Rat

Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) is a noninvasive method for blood flow (BF) measurement, which makes it preferable for measuring microcirculatory ...

China Rehabilitation Research Center

Institute of Rehabilitation Science of China

Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders

Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Rehabilitation

Previous studies have shown that levo-dopamine (L-dopa) can improve the consciousness of certain patients with prolonged coma after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, and promote cell growth in vivo. This study aimed to investigate whether L-dopa, which is used clinically to treat Parkinson's disease, might also ameliorate ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced cell death. The oxygen-glucose deprivation and re-oxygenation (OGD/R) model was used to mimic the ischemia-reperfusion pathological process in vitro. HT22 cells were treated with dopamine hydrochloride at different times (i.e., 2 h prior to OGD, during the period of OGD, during the period of R, and throughout the period of OGD/R) and at different concentrations (i.e., 25 μM, 50 μM, 100 μM). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, flow cytometry-annexin V, and propidium iodide staining with light microscopy showed that dopamine hydrochloride (added during re-oxygenation) promoted cell proliferation and facilitated maintenance of normal cell morphology. However, when present during oxygen-glucose deprivation for 18 h and present throughout OGD/R, dopamine hydrochloride increased cell damage as manifested by shrinkage, rounding up, and reduced viability. In conclusion, dopamine protected HT22 cells from OGD/R injury-induced cell death only at a particular point in time, suggesting that it may be useful for treating severe ischemia-reperfusion brain injury.

The protective effect of dopamine against OGD/R injury-induced cell death in HT22 mouse hippocampal cells.

Melatonin can be neuroprotective in models of neurological injury, but its effects on blood vessel loss and neurological impairment following spinal cord injury (SCI) are unclear. Our goal herein was to evaluate the possible protective action of melatonin on the above SCI-induced damage in rats.

Melatonin prevents blood vessel loss and neurological impairment induced by spinal cord injury in rats.

Ideal bone scaffolds having good biocompatibility, good biodegradability, and beneficial mechanical properties are the basis for bone tissue engineering. Specifically, cell migration within 3D scaffolds is crucial for bone regeneration of critical size defects. In this research, hydroxyapatite scaffolds with three different types of architectures (tortuous, parallel, and graded channels) are fabricated using the freeze-casting (ice-templating) method. While most studies promote cell migration by chemical factors, it can be greatly enhanced by introducing only graded channels as compared with tortuous or parallel channels. The results provide insights and guidance in designing novel scaffolds to enhance cell migration behavior for bone tissue regeneration.

Fan Bai

China Rehabilitation Research Center

Using Laser Doppler Imaging and Monitoring to Analyze Spinal Cord Microcirculation in Rat