electroacupuncture of multiple rodents in a 3d printed fixator

Uso de un soporte impreso en 3D para electroacupuntura a granel en animales pequeños

Electroacupuncture (EA) therapy is a unique method in which acupuncture needles are inserted into the scalp and connected to an electro-machine to stimulate specific points1. Unlike manual stimulation, EA allows better control of stimulation by stabilizing specific frequencies and waveforms to achieve optimal therapeutic effects2. According to a survey, 81.2% of medical institutions in China use EA or manual acupuncture to treat cerebral palsy, neuralgia, facial palsy, and other conditions. Despite its popularity, the specific mechanism of efficacy of EA is still unknown, which has hindered its promotion and application in the rehabilitation treatment of neurological diseases1,2,3. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanism of EA&#39;s effectiveness and to promote its use in the rehabilitation treatment of neurological diseases.
As the influence of acupuncture expands worldwide, many studies have already investigated the mechanisms of EA performed on rodent models, such as rat or mouse models1,2,3. Several issues are often encountered in EA&#39;s rodent experiments. The first is how to immobilize rodents without anesthesia, as acupuncture performed on awake subjects is more reflective of clinical practice. In addition, some experiments require animals to be awake to observe treatment effects2,3. Another challenge is accurately locating the acupoints in mice or rats that correspond to those in humans. The precise localization of acupoints in experimental rodents is currently being studied by many scholars4,5. In this protocol, MS6 and ST25 were selected, which have been clearly defined in rodents by the transformation of human anatomical localization. MS6 is commonly used for the treatment of some brain diseases, such as Parkinson&#39;s disease6. ST25 is usually used to treat gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea7. These two acupoints were chosen primarily to demonstrate how rodents can be effectively immobilized in both supine and prone positions. Moreover, these acupoints have been extensively studied and offer significant insights for research purposes6,7.
The previous method of immobilizing a single rat for experiments is not only time-consuming but also difficult to handle by a single person8. Additionally, due to the non-cooperation of animals, the success rate is relatively low in practice. Therefore, there is a critical need to create an easily established animal model with stable characteristics to improve experiment efficiency. In this article, a 3D printed holder for small animals was introduced that could easily immobilize multiple rodents, leading to motor restriction. The aim of this paper is to administer EA treatments to a batch of young rats or mice, focusing on the strategies for bulk restriction of mice, identification, and stimulation of MS6 and ST25 acupoints.

Autor destacado: Uso de un soporte impreso en 3D para la operación simultánea de electroacupuntura múltiple

Operación de electroacupuntura a granel para ratones o ratas jóvenes

In this video, we introduce an efficient way of using electroacupuncture on multiple awake mice or rats. In vesical research, animal is urinating, but they are not cooperative, and acupuncture only is time consume. Another issue is about the anesthesia, which is not clinical applicable of acupuncture.To address these issues, we demonstrate efficient method of performing electroacupuncture on multiple awake mice or rats by using 3D printed holder. Our protocol demonstrates a more efficiency and safer way to hold multiple animals simultaneously, which unlike other method that imply immobilization, this method not only saves time, but also improve experimental success rates. Additionally, device is designed to be easy to handle, which could be operated by one person.The ProTech and device are beneficial for the promotion of experimental scientific research in electroacupuncture.

Electroacupuntura de múltiples roedores en un fijador impreso en 3D

Para empezar, divide una cuerda de dos metros de largo en seis segmentos iguales. Utilice el mecanismo de hebilla accionada por resorte para sujetar los extremos de las cuerdas, lo que permite un fácil ajuste de los tamaños de los bucles. Pase cada una de las seis cuerdas a través de los orificios designados en el fijador.A continuación, coloque la cabeza del roedor dentro del orificio en forma de U del fijador. Sujete con cuidado los bucles alrededor del cuello del roedor y guíe suavemente su cuerpo a través de dos de los bucles de cuerda preparados. Luego, sujete los lazos alrededor del abdomen del roedor, asegurándose de que esté lo suficientemente apretado sin causar dificultad respiratoria.Del mismo modo, inmovilice a los otros dos roedores. Encuentre los puntos de acupuntura por ubicación anatómica y confirme la profundidad de inserción en el punto de acupuntura. Gire e inserte lentamente las agujas estériles desechables bilateral y subcutáneamente en MS6 o ST25.A continuación, conecte un lado del cable de conexión al instrumento de electroacupuntura. Conecte el otro lado del cable de conexión con los clips positivo y negativo a los vástagos de la aguja de acupuntura a la izquierda y a la derecha del MS6. Encienda el instrumento de electroacupuntura.Gire la función o elija el botón de cambio para configurar la frecuencia y el modo de función. Establezca la frecuencia en 10 hercios y elija un modo de onda continua. Gire el botón Ajustar intensidad para establecer la intensidad en uno o dos miliamperios que dure cinco minutos.El fijador impreso en 3D permitió la inmovilización firme simultánea de tres ratones en posición supina y prona sin lesiones. Los puntos de acupuntura MS6 y ST25 fueron localizados y agujereados con éxito en roedores. El tiempo medio de inmovilización de tres ratas en ambas posiciones fue de entre 72 y 77 segundos.

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Electroacupuncture of Multiple Rodents in a 3D Printed Fixator

Bulk Electroacupuncture Operation for Mice or Young Rats

Electroacupuncture (EA) is widely used to treat various health conditions. However, the underlying mechanism of EA treatment remains unclear, hindering ...

Investigación

Biología