Supported by NIH Grants NS14837, R01 NS38537, R24 HD050838 to Dr. Michael E. Selzer; Shriners Research Grant SHC-85220 to Dr. Michael E Selzer; and Shriners Research Grant SHC-85310 to Dr. Michael I. Shifman. Dr. Ant&#243;n Barreiro-Iglesias was supported by the Fundaci&#243;n Barri&#233; (Spain) and the Xunta de Galicia (Galicia, Spain).

See Table 1 for all materials used in this protocol.
Experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at Temple University.
1. Animals
<ol>
	<li>Obtain wildtype larval sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus L.), 10 &#8211; 14 cm in length (4 &#8211; 7 years old) from streams feeding Lake Michigan, from tributaries to the Delaware River (Pennsylvania) or streams in Maine.</li>
	<li>In the laboratory, maintain larvae in groups of 50 - 100 animals in 50 gallon freshwater tanks at 16 &#176;C. Line the tanks with an inch of gravel for the larvae to burrow in, and the water is charcoal filtered and conditioned with air stones for at least 48 hr to remove chlorine and other impurities before placing the lampreys in them. There is no need to feed the animals, which recycle their own detritus, up to the day of use.</li>
</ol>
2. Complete Spinal Cord Transection
<ol>
	<li>Before the spinal cord surgery prepare a lamprey Ringer solution with the following composition: 110 mM NaCl, 2.1 mM KCl, 2.6 mM CaCl2, 1.8 mM MgCl2 and 10 mM Tris buffer; pH 7.4.</li>
	<li>To perform the spinal cord transection, place the larvae in a small container to be anesthetized with 1% tricaine methanesulfonate in ice cold Ringer solution.</li>
	<li>Once anesthetized place the animals in a petri dish half filled with Sylgard (silicone) and use 4 insect pins (0.15 mm diameter) to hold the animals in position for the surgery (one is placed at the snout of the animal, one at the tail and two at the level of the 5th gill). Fill the petri dish almost up to the top with Ringer solution. Put the dish with the larva on ice while performing the surgery under the stereomicroscope.</li>
	<li>To perform the spinal cord transection a dorsal, midline, make a longitudinal incision with a scalpel (#11) at the level of the 5th gill to visualize the spinal cord. Initially the skin is open by inserting the tip of the scalpel blade facing up and then the muscle tissue is cut very gently until the spinal cord can be seen from above. Fashion two hooks from the insect pins and use them to hold the body walls open while performing the spinal cord transection.</li>
	<li>Completely transect the spinal cord at the level of the 5th gill by using a pair of scissors (Castroviejo #8), insert the scissors perpendicularly to the spinal cord. The spinal cord has to be completely transected with one clean cut. Visualize the spinal cord cut ends under the stereomicroscope to confirm that the spinal cord has been completely transected. Then, realign the cut ends of the spinal cord after the transection by using a pair of forceps (#5).</li>
	<li>After performing the spinal cord transection close the wound in the dorsal body wall with a pair of fine forceps and put the larvae on ice for 1 hr to allow the wound to dry. Put a piece of filter paper between the ice and the larvae and soak it with lamprey Ringer solution. The low temperature keeps the animals alive at the same time that it allows the wound to air dry and therefore helping to prevent infections.</li>
	<li>Then transfer the larvae to small tanks (1 larva per tank) with ice cold water for 24 hr.</li>
	<li>Examine the lesioned larvae 1 day after the spinal transection to behaviorally confirm that there is no movement caudal to the site of injury. A spinal cord transection is considered complete if the larva can move only its head rostral to the site of injury (at the level of the 5th gill). If this is the case the larvae can now be transferred to tanks (1 larva per tank) with freshwater at room temperature (23 &#176;C) to allow them to recover for the chosen time points.</li>
	<li>During the recovery period change the water every 2 to 3 days.</li>
</ol>
3. Brain Dissection and Preparation of the Brain for in situ Hybridization
<ol>
	<li>At the desired time points after the injury re-anesthetize the larval sea lampreys and place and pin them in the petri dish with Ringer solution to perform the brain dissection as above.</li>
	<li>To dissect the brain out, first make a transverse incision with the scalpel between the nostril and the pineal organ. From here begin to cut the tissue surrounding the brain by using a pair of Castroviejo scissors while holding it with a pair of forceps.</li>
	<li>Once the brain is exposed, remove the choroid plexus by using a pair of forceps and use the hooks to spread the head of the animal and expose the cranial nerves. Then, cut the spinal cord transversally with the Castroviejo scissors. Hold the spinal cord with a pair of forceps while using another pair of forceps to cut the cranial nerves to dissect the brain out.</li>
	<li>After dissection, put the brain on a small piece of silicone and hold it in position by inserting 2 insect pins in the olfactory bulbs and 1 in the spinal cord. Then, cut the posterior and cerebrotectal commissures of the brain along the dorsal midline with the scissors and deflect the alar plates laterally and pin them flat to the silicone with 4 insect pins (Figure 2).</li>
	<li>Transfer the piece of silicone with the brain to a tube containing 4% paraformaldehyde in phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4) to be fixed at room temparature for 3 hr on a rotator.</li>
	<li>After fixation use the brain for wholemount in situ hybridization as previously described (Swain et al., 1994). Brains from control or sham operated animals should be run always in parallel with the brains from injured animals. The wholemounted larval brain can be studied by in situ hybridization because of its flat and thin shape and also due to the absence of myelin10, which makes the brain fairly translucent.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Rodicio, M. C., Barreiro-Iglesias, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lampreys+as+an+animal+model+in+regeneration+studies+after+spinal+cord+injury.">Lampreys as an animal model in regeneration studies after spinal cord injury.</a> Rev Neurol. 55, 157-166 (2012).</li><li>Davis, G. R., McClellan, A. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Extent+and+time+course+of+restoration+of+descending+brainstem+projections+in+spinalcord-transected+lamprey.">Extent and time course of restoration of descending brainstem projections in spinalcord-transected lamprey.</a> J Comp Neurol. 344, 65-82 (1994).</li><li>Jacobs, A. J., Swain, G. P., Snedeker, J. A., Pijak, D. S., Gladstone, L. J., Selzer, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Recovery+of+neurofilament+expression+selectively+in+regenerating+reticulospinal+neurons.">Recovery of neurofilament expression selectively in regenerating reticulospinal neurons.</a> J Neurosci. 17, 5206-5220 (1997).</li><li>Shifman, M. I., Selzer, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Expression+of+the+netrin+receptor+UNC-5+in+lamprey+brain+modulation+by+spinal+cord+transection.">Expression of the netrin receptor UNC-5 in lamprey brain modulation by spinal cord transection.</a> Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 14, 49-58 (2000).</li><li>Barreiro-Iglesias, A., Laramore, C., Shifman, M. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+sea+lamprey+UNC5+receptors+cDNA+cloning,+phylogenetic+analysis+and+expression+in+reticulospinal+neurons+at+larval+and+adult+stages+of+development.">The sea lamprey UNC5 receptors cDNA cloning, phylogenetic analysis and expression in reticulospinal neurons at larval and adult stages of development.</a> J Comp Neurol. 520, 4141-4156 (2012).</li><li>Shifman, M. I., Yumu, l. R. E., Laramore, C., Selzer, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Expression+of+the+repulsive+guidance+molecule+RGM+and+its+receptor+neogenin+after+spinal+cord+injury+in+sea+lamprey.">Expression of the repulsive guidance molecule RGM and its receptor neogenin after spinal cord injury in sea lamprey.</a> Exp Neurol. 217, 242-251 (2009).</li><li>Busch, D. J., Morgan, J. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synuclein+accumulation+is+associated+with+cell-specific+neuronal+death+after+spinal+cord+injury.">Synuclein accumulation is associated with cell-specific neuronal death after spinal cord injury.</a> J Comp Neurol. 520, 1751-1771 (2012).</li><li>Shifman, M. I., Zhang, G., Selzer, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Delayed+death+of+identified+reticulospinal+neurons+after+spinal+cord+injury+in+lampreys.">Delayed death of identified reticulospinal neurons after spinal cord injury in lampreys.</a> J Comp Neurol. 510, 269-282 (2008).</li><li>Swain, G. P., Jacobs, A. J., Frei, E., Selzer, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+method+for+in+situ+hybridization+in+wholemounted+lamprey+brain+neurofilament+expression+in+larvae+and+adults.">A method for in situ hybridization in wholemounted lamprey brain neurofilament expression in larvae and adults.</a> Exp. Neurol. 126, 256-269 (1994).</li><li>Bullock, T. H., Moore, J. K., Fields, R. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evolution+of+myelin+sheaths:+both+lamprey+and+hagfish+lack+myelin.">Evolution of myelin sheaths: both lamprey and hagfish lack myelin.</a> Neurosci Lett. 48, 145-148 (1984).</li><li>Cohen, A. H., Kiemel, T., Pate, V., Blinder, J., Guan, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Temperature+can+alter+the+function+outcome+of+spinal+cord+regeneration+in+larval+lampreys.">Temperature can alter the function outcome of spinal cord regeneration in larval lampreys.</a> Neuroscience. 90, 957-965 (1999).</li></ol>

The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

Here we present a detailed protocol to perform a complete spinal cord transection and posterior brain dissection in larval sea lampreys. This procedure allows analyzing differences in gene expression between identifiable spinal cord projecting neurons after spinal cord injury by means of a whole-mount brain in situ hybridization. The critical step in the procedure is the correct performance of a complete spinal cord transection, which can be controlled by observing the cut ends of the spinal cord under the stereomicrocop...

In mammals spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition that leads to permanent loss of function below the site of injury because injured axons do not regenerate through the trauma zone and reconnect to their appropriate targets. In contrast to mammals, lampreys recover locomotion after a complete spinal cord injury.1 Interestingly, lampreys have a set of 36 spinal cord projecting neurons that are individually identifiable in whole-mount brain preparations because of their big size2,3 (Figure 1). All of these spinal-projecting neurons are axotomized by a high-level complete spinal cord transection. Previous studies of our group and others have shown that even in the presence of functional recovery after SCI some of these neurons show a very low regenerative capacity (they are considered &#8220;bad regenerators&#8221;), while others usually regenerate their axon through the site of injury (they are considered &#8220;good regenerators&#8221;).2,3 This characteristic makes lampreys an interesting vertebrate model to study the differences in gene expression between good and bad regenerator spinal-projecting neurons that in turn will lead to the differences in the intrinsic regenerative ability of neurons that attempt to regenerate their axons in the same extrinsic environment.1
Using this model we have previously shown that spinal-projecting neurons with low regenerative ability show expression of axonal guidance molecule receptors like UNC54,5 and neogenin,6 which mediate the inhibitory action of netrin and RGM respectively. In addition, by using this method our group has also shown that only the good regenerators show a recovery of the expression of neurofilaments after the injury and during the regeneration process. Recently, Busch and Morgan7 have shown by immunofluorescence that the bad regenerators show an increased expression of synuclein after injury, which has been related by the authors to the fact that the &#8220;bad regenerator&#8221; spinal-projecting neurons slowly die after a complete spinal cord transection5,7,8. So, the lamprey model of a complete spinal cord injury has emerged as a very useful model to understand what makes a spinal cord projecting neuron a &#8220;bad regenerator&#8221; after axotomy.
To conduct our studies we are performing a complete spinal cord transection surgery protocol and a posterior brain dissection at the desired time points after injury to perform wholemount in situ hybridization. In the present methodological article we present a detailed protocol for the proper performance of a complete spinal cord injury surgery in larval lampreys, the subsequent maintenance of the animals and the final brain dissection and preparation of the brain for a wholemount in situ hybridization. A detailed protocol to perform the wholemount in situ hybridization in the brain of larval lampreys has been previously reported.9 In addition, this protocol for spinal cord injury and brain dissection can be also used to then process the brains for immunohistochemistry or other histological methods.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="280">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="85">
			<td height="85" style="height:85px;width:64px;">Name of the reagent</td>
			<td style="width:83px;">Company</td>
			<td style="width:64px;">Catalogue number</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Comments (optional)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="148">
			<td height="148" style="height:148px;width:64px;">Tricaine methane sulfonate</td>
			<td style="width:83px;">Spectrum</td>
			<td style="width:64px;">TR108</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Benzocaine saturated solution in PBS for sacrifice</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="85">
			<td height="85" style="height:85px;width:64px;">Scalpel #3</td>
			<td style="width:83px;">Fine Science Tools (FST)</td>
			<td style="width:64px;">10003-12</td>
			<td style="width:71px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="85">
			<td height="85" style="height:85px;width:64px;">Blades for scalpel: #11</td>
			<td style="width:83px;">Fine Science Tools&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:64px;">10011-00</td>
			<td style="width:71px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="85">
			<td height="85" style="height:85px;width:64px;">Castroviejo scissors #8</td>
			<td style="width:83px;">Fine Science Tools&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:64px;">15002-08</td>
			<td style="width:71px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="190">
			<td height="190" style="height:190px;width:64px;">Forceps #4 &#38; #5</td>
			<td style="width:83px;">Dumont, Switzerland</td>
			<td style="width:64px;">Roboz RS4955</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">#4 for dissection of Spinal cord; #5 for stripping menninges</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="85">
			<td height="85" style="height:85px;width:64px;">Dissecting Microscope</td>
			<td style="width:83px;">Olympus</td>
			<td style="width:64px;">SZ51</td>
			<td style="width:71px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="63" rowspan="2" style="height:63px;width:64px;">Sylgard</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:83px;">Dow Corning Co.</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:64px;">184</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:71px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
		</tr>
		<tr height="168">
			<td height="189" rowspan="2" style="height:189px;width:64px;">Insect pins 0.15, 0.20 mm</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:83px;">Austerlitz</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:64px;">No catalogue #</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:71px;">0.15 mm for pinning brain and spinal cord; 0.20 mm for the body</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
		</tr>
		<tr height="127">
			<td height="127" style="height:127px;width:64px;">7 ml HDPE Scintillation Tubes with Caps</td>
			<td style="width:83px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:64px;">03-337-1</td>
			<td style="width:71px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="106">
			<td height="106" style="height:106px;width:64px;">Paraformaldehyde 16%</td>
			<td style="width:83px;">Electron Microscopy Science (EMS)</td>
			<td style="width:64px;">19210</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Dilute to 4% in PBS</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

complete spinal cord injury and brain dissection protocol for subsequent wholemount in situ hybridization in larval sea lamprey

After a complete spinal cord injury, sea lampreys at first are paralyzed below the level of transection. However, they recover locomotion after several weeks, and this is accompanied by short distance regeneration (a few mm) of propriospinal axons and spinal-projecting axons from the brainstem. Among the 36 large identifiable spinal-projecting neurons, some are good regenerators and others are bad regenerators. These neurons can most easily be identified in wholemount CNS preparations. In order to understand the neuron-intrinsic mechanisms that favor or inhibit axon regeneration after injury in the vertebrates CNS, we determine differences in gene expression between the good and bad regenerators, and how expression is influenced by spinal cord transection. This paper illustrates the techniques for housing larval and recently transformed adult sea lampreys in fresh water tanks, producing complete spinal cord transections under microscopic vision, and preparing brain and spinal cord wholemounts for in situ hybridization. Briefly, animals are kept at 16&#160;&#176;C and anesthetized in 1% Benzocaine in lamprey Ringer. The spinal cord is transected with iridectomy scissors via a dorsal approach and the animal is allowed to recover in fresh water tanks at 23 &#176;C. For in situ hybridization, animals are reanesthetized and the brain and cord removed via a dorsal approach.

As an example of the results that can be obtained when using this method, representative images of wholemounted brains showing the expression of the neogenin transcripts in identifiable spinal cord-projecting neurons of control and 2 weeks post lesion larval sea lampreys are shown in Figure 2. The readers are referred to a previous study6 reporting the relationship between the expression of neogenin after a complete spinal cord transection and the regenerative ability of the identifiable spina...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Complete Spinal Cord Injury and Brain Dissection Protocol for Subsequent Wholemount In Situ Hybridization in Larval Sea Lamprey at JoVE.com

Complete Spinal Cord Injury and Brain Dissection Protocol for Subsequent Wholemount In Situ Hybridization in Larval Sea Lamprey

Lampreys recover locomotion after a complete spinal cord injury. However, some spinal-projecting neurons are good regenerators and others are not. This paper illustrates the techniques for housing sea lamprey larvae (and recently transformed adults), producing complete spinal cord transections and preparing wholemount brains and spinal cords for in situ hybridization.

Complete Spinal Cord Injury and Brain Dissection Protocol for Subsequent Wholemount In Situ Hybridization in Larval Sea Lamprey

After a complete spinal cord injury, sea lampreys at first are paralyzed below the level of transection. However, they recover locomotion after several ...

complete-spinal-cord-injury-brain-dissection-protocol-for-subsequent

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9.8K Views.  University of Edinburgh. Lampreys recover locomotion after a complete spinal cord injury. However, some spinal-projecting neurons are good regenerators and others are not. This paper illustrates the techniques for housing sea lamprey larvae (and recently transformed adults), producing complete spinal cord transections and preparing wholemount brains and spinal cords for in situ hybridization.

Video: Complete Spinal Cord Injury and Brain Dissection Protocol for Subsequent Wholemount In Situ Hybridization in Larval Sea Lamprey

Dissection and Culture of Commissural Neurons from Embryonic Spinal Cord

Commissural neurons have been widely used to investigate the mechanisms underlying axon guidance during embryonic spinal cord development. The cell bodies of these neurons are located in the dorsal spinal cord and their axons follow stereotyped trajectories during embryonic development. Commissural axons initially project ventrally towards the floorplate. After crossing the midline, these axons turn anteriorly and project towards the brain. Each of these steps is regulated by the action of several guidance cues. Cultures highly enriched in commissural neurons are ideally suited for many experiments addressing the mechanisms of axon pathfinding, including turning assays, immunochemistry and biochemistry. Here, we describe a method to dissect and culture commissural neurons from E13 rat dorsal spinal cord. First, the spinal cord is isolated and dorsal strips are dissected out. The dorsal tissue is then dissociated into a cell suspension by trypsinization and mechanical disruption. Neurons are plated onto poly-L-lysine-coated glass coverslips or tissue-culture dishes. After 30 hours in vitro, most neurons have extended an axon. The purity of the culture (Yam et al. 2009), typically over 90%, can be assessed by immunolabeling with the commissural neuron markers DCC, LH2 and TAG1 (Helms and Johnson, 1998). This neuronal preparation is a useful tool for in vitro studies of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of commissural axon growth and guidance during spinal cord development.

This video demonstrates a method to dissect and culture commissural neurons from E13 rat dorsal spinal cord. Dissociated commissural neurons are useful to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms of axon growth and guidance.

Commissural neurons have been widely used to investigate the mechanisms underlying axon guidance during embryonic spinal cord development. The cell bodies ...

Double Fluorescence in situ Hybridization in Fresh Brain Sections

Here we describe a modified version of a double fluorescence in situ hybridization (dFISH) method optimized for detecting two mRNAs of interest in fresh frozen brain sections. Our group has successfully used this approach to study gene co-regulation. More specifically, we have used this dFISH method to explore the anatomical organization, neurochemical properties, and the impact of sensory experience in central sensory circuits, at single cell resolution. This protocol has been validated in brain tissue from mice, rats and songbirds but is expected to be easily adaptable to other vertebrate species, as well as to an array of non-neural tissues. In this film we provide a detailed demonstration of the main steps of this procedure.

Double Fluorescence in situ Hybridization in Fresh Brain Sections

This protocol involves a non-radioactive in-situ hybridization procedure that enables the simultaneous identification of two transcript species, at a single cell resolution, in thin sections of the vertebrate brain.

Here we describe a modified version of a double fluorescence in situ hybridization (dFISH) method optimized for detecting two mRNAs of interest in fresh ...

Lateral Fluid Percussion: Model of Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) research has attained renewed momentum due to the increasing awareness of head injuries, which result in morbidity and mortality. Based on the nature of primary injury following TBI, complex and heterogeneous secondary consequences result, which are followed by regenerative processes 1,2. Primary injury can be induced by a direct contusion to the brain from skull fracture or from shearing and stretching of tissue causing displacement of brain due to movement 3,4. The resulting hematomas and lacerations cause a vascular response 3,5, and the morphological and functional damage of the white matter leads to diffuse axonal injury 6-8. Additional secondary changes commonly seen in the brain are edema and increased intracranial pressure 9. Following TBI there are microscopic alterations in biochemical and physiological pathways involving the release of excitotoxic neurotransmitters, immune mediators and oxygen radicals 10-12, which ultimately result in long-term neurological disabilities 13,14. Thus choosing appropriate animal models of TBI that present similar cellular and molecular events in human and rodent TBI is critical for studying the mechanisms underlying injury and repair.
Various experimental models of TBI have been developed to reproduce aspects of TBI observed in humans, among them three specific models are widely adapted for rodents: fluid percussion, cortical impact and weight drop/impact acceleration 1. The fluid percussion device produces an injury through a craniectomy by applying a brief fluid pressure pulse on to the intact dura. The pulse is created by a pendulum striking the piston of a reservoir of fluid. The percussion produces brief displacement and deformation of neural tissue 1,15. Conversely, cortical impact injury delivers mechanical energy to the intact dura via a rigid impactor under pneumatic pressure 16,17. The weight drop/impact model is characterized by the fall of a rod with a specific mass on the closed skull 18. Among the TBI models, LFP is the most established and commonly used model to evaluate mixed focal and diffuse brain injury 19. It is reproducible and is standardized to allow for the manipulation of injury parameters. LFP recapitulates injuries observed in humans, thus rendering it clinically relevant, and allows for exploration of novel therapeutics for clinical translation 20.
We describe the detailed protocol to perform LFP procedure in mice. The injury inflicted is mild to moderate, with brain regions such as cortex, hippocampus and corpus callosum being most vulnerable. Hippocampal and motor learning tasks are explored following LFP.

Lateral fluid percussion (LFP), an established model of traumatic brain injury in mice, is demonstrated. LFP fulfills three major criteria for animal models: validity, reliability and clinical relevance. The procedure, consisting of surgical craniotomy, fixation of hub followed by induction of injury, resulting in focal and diffuse injuries, is described.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) research has attained renewed momentum due to the increasing awareness of head injuries, which result in morbidity and ...

Spinal Cord Transection in the Larval Zebrafish

Mammals fail in sensory and motor recovery following spinal cord injury due to lack of axonal regrowth below the level of injury as well as an inability to reinitiate spinal neurogenesis. However, some anamniotes including the zebrafish Danio rerio exhibit both sensory and functional recovery even after complete transection of the spinal cord. The adult zebrafish is an established model organism for studying regeneration following spinal cord injury, with sensory and motor recovery by 6&#160;weeks post-injury. To take advantage of in vivo analysis of the regenerative process available in the transparent larval zebrafish as well as genetic tools not accessible in the adult, we use the larval zebrafish to study regeneration after spinal cord transection. Here we demonstrate a method for reproducibly and verifiably transecting the larval spinal cord. After transection, our data shows sensory recovery beginning at 2&#160;days post-injury (dpi), with the C-bend movement detectable by 3 dpi and resumption of free swimming by 5 dpi. Thus we propose the larval zebrafish as a companion tool to the adult zebrafish for the study of recovery after spinal cord injury.

After spinal transection, adult zebrafish have functional recovery by six weeks post-injury. To take advantage of larval transparency and faster recovery, we present a method for transecting the larval spinal cord. After transection, we observe sensory recovery beginning at 2&#160;days post-injury, and C-bend movement by 3 days post-injury.

Mammals fail in sensory and motor recovery following spinal cord injury due to lack of axonal regrowth below the level of injury as well as an inability ...

An Ex Vivo Laser-induced Spinal Cord Injury Model to Assess Mechanisms of Axonal Degeneration in Real-time

Injured CNS axons fail to regenerate and often retract away from the injury site. Axons spared from the initial injury may later undergo secondary axonal degeneration. Lack of growth cone formation, regeneration, and loss of additional myelinated axonal projections within the spinal cord greatly limits neurological recovery following injury. To assess how central myelinated axons of the spinal cord respond to injury, we developed an ex vivo living spinal cord model utilizing transgenic mice that express yellow fluorescent protein in axons and a focal and highly reproducible laser-induced spinal cord injury to document the fate of axons and myelin (lipophilic fluorescent dye Nile Red) over time using two-photon excitation time-lapse microscopy. Dynamic processes such as acute axonal injury, axonal retraction, and myelin degeneration are best studied in real-time. However, the non-focal nature of contusion-based injuries and movement artifacts encountered during in vivo spinal cord imaging make differentiating primary and secondary axonal injury responses using high resolution microscopy challenging. The ex vivo spinal cord model described here mimics several aspects of clinically relevant contusion/compression-induced axonal pathologies including axonal swelling, spheroid formation, axonal transection, and peri-axonal swelling providing a useful model to study these dynamic processes in real-time. Major advantages of this model are excellent spatiotemporal resolution that allows differentiation between the primary insult that directly injures axons and secondary injury mechanisms; controlled infusion of reagents directly to the perfusate bathing the cord; precise alterations of the environmental milieu (e.g., calcium, sodium ions, known contributors to axonal injury, but near impossible to manipulate in vivo); and murine models also offer an advantage as they provide an opportunity to visualize and manipulate genetically identified cell populations and subcellular structures. Here, we describe how to isolate and image the living spinal cord from mice to capture dynamics of acute axonal injury.

An Ex Vivo Laser-induced Spinal Cord Injury Model to Assess Mechanisms of Axonal Degeneration in Real-time

We present a protocol utilizing two-photon excitation time-lapse microscopy to simultaneously visualize the dynamics of axon and myelin injuries in real time. This proposed protocol permits studies of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors which can influence central myelinated axon fate after injury and contribute to permanent clinical disability.

Injured CNS axons fail to regenerate and often retract away from the injury site. Axons spared from the initial injury may later undergo secondary axonal ...

Zebrafish In Situ Spinal Cord Preparation for Electrophysiological Recordings from Spinal Sensory and Motor Neurons

Zebrafish, first introduced as a developmental model, have gained popularity in many other fields. The ease of rearing large numbers of rapidly developing organisms, combined with the embryonic optical clarity, served as initial compelling attributes of this model. Over the past two decades, the success of this model has been further propelled by its amenability to large-scale mutagenesis screens and by the ease of transgenesis. More recently, gene-editing approaches have extended the power of the model.
For neurodevelopmental studies, the zebrafish embryo and larva provide a model to which multiple methods can be applied. Here, we focus on methods that allow the study of an essential property of neurons, electrical excitability. Our preparation for the electrophysiological study of zebrafish spinal neurons involves the use of veterinarian suture glue to secure the preparation to a recording chamber. Alternative methods for recording from zebrafish embryos and larvae involve the attachment of the preparation to the chamber using a fine tungsten pin1,2,3,4,5. A tungsten pin is most often used to mount the preparation in a lateral orientation, although it has been used to mount larvae dorsal-side up4. The suture glue has been used to mount embryos and larvae in both orientations. Using the glue, a minimal dissection can be performed, allowing access to spinal neurons without the use of an enzymatic treatment, thereby avoiding any resultant damage. However, for larvae, it is necessary to apply a brief enzyme treatment to remove the muscle tissue surrounding the spinal cord. The methods described here have been used to study the intrinsic electrical properties of motor neurons, interneurons, and sensory neurons at several developmental stages6,7,8,9.

Zebrafish In Situ Spinal Cord Preparation for Electrophysiological Recordings from Spinal Sensory and Motor Neurons

This manuscript describes methods for electrophysiological recordings from spinal neurons of zebrafish embryos and larvae. The preparation maintains neurons in situ and often involves minimum dissection. These methods allow for the electrophysiological study of a variety of spinal neurons, from the initial electrical excitability acquisition through the early larval stages.

Zebrafish, first introduced as a developmental model, have gained popularity in many other fields. The ease of rearing large numbers of rapidly developing ...

Imaging Neural Activity in the Primary Somatosensory Cortex Using Thy1-GCaMP6s Transgenic Mice

The mammalian brain exhibits marked symmetry across the sagittal plane. However, detailed description of neural dynamics in symmetric brain regions in adult mammalian animals remains elusive. In this study, we describe an experimental procedure for measuring calcium dynamics through dual optical windows above bilateral primary somatosensory corticies (S1) in Thy1-GCaMP6s transgenic mice using 2-photon (2P) microscopy. This method enables recordings and quantifications of neural activity in bilateral mouse brain regions one at a time in the same experiment for a prolonged period in vivo. Key aspects of this method, which can be completed within an hour, include minimally invasive surgery procedures for creating dual optical windows, and the use of 2P imaging. Although we only demonstrate the technique in the S1 area, the method can be applied to other regions of the living brain facilitating the elucidation of structural and functional complexities of brain neural networks.

Imaging Neural Activity in the Primary Somatosensory Cortex Using Thy1-GCaMP6s Transgenic Mice

We describe an experimental procedure for measuring neuronal activity through dual optical windows above bilateral primary somatosensory corticies (S1) in Thy1-GCaMP6s transgenic mice using 2-photon (2P) microscopy in vivo.

The mammalian brain exhibits marked symmetry across the sagittal plane. However, detailed description of neural dynamics in symmetric brain regions in ...

An In Vivo Duo-color Method for Imaging Vascular Dynamics Following Contusive Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes significant vascular disruption at the site of injury. Vascular pathology occurs immediately after SCI and continues throughout the acute injury phase. In fact, endothelial cells appear to be the first to die after a contusive SCI. The early vascular events, including increased permeability of the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB), induce vasogenic edema and contribute to detrimental secondary injury events caused by complex injury mechanisms. Targeting the vascular disruption, therefore, could be a key strategy to reduce secondary injury cascades that contribute to histological and functional impairments after SCI. Previous studies were mostly performed on postmortem samples and were unable to capture the dynamic changes of the vascular network. In this study, we have developed an in vivo duo-color two-photon imaging method to monitor acute vascular dynamic changes following contusive SCI. This approach allows detecting blood flow, vessel diameter, and other vascular pathologies at various sites of the same rat pre- and post-injury. Overall, this method provides an excellent venue for investigating vascular dynamics.

An In Vivo Duo-color Method for Imaging Vascular Dynamics Following Contusive Spinal Cord Injury

We introduce an in vivo imaging method using two different fluorescent dyes to track dynamic spinal vascular changes following a contusive spinal cord injury in adult Sprague-Dawley rats.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes significant vascular disruption at the site of injury. Vascular pathology occurs immediately after SCI and continues ...

Intra-Arterial Delivery of Neural Stem Cells to the Rat and Mouse Brain: Application to Cerebral Ischemia

Neural stem cell (NSC) therapy is an emerging innovative treatment for stroke, traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative disorders. As compared to intracranial delivery, intra-arterial administration of NSCs is less invasive and produces a more diffuse distribution of NSCs within the brain parenchyma. Further, intra-arterial delivery allows the first-pass effect in the brain circulation, lessening the potential for trapping of cells in peripheral organs, such as liver and spleen, a complication associated with peripheral injections. Here, we detail the methodology, in both mice and rats, for delivery of NSCs through the common carotid artery (mouse) or external carotid artery (rat) to the ipsilateral hemisphere after an ischemic stroke. Using GFP-labeled NSCs, we illustrate the widespread distribution achieved throughout the rodent ipsilateral hemisphere at 1 d, 1 week and 4 weeks after postischemic delivery, with a higher density in or near the ischemic injury site. In addition to long-term survival, we show evidence of differentiation of GFP-labeled cells at 4 weeks. The intra-arterial delivery approach described here for NSCs can also be used for administration of therapeutic compounds, and thus has broad applicability to varied CNS injury and disease models across multiple species.

A method for delivering neural stem cells, adaptable for injecting solutions or suspensions, through the common carotid artery (mouse) or external carotid artery (rat) after ischemic stroke is reported. Injected cells are distributed broadly throughout the brain parenchyma and can be detected up to 30 d after delivery.

Neural stem cell (NSC) therapy is an emerging innovative treatment for stroke, traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative disorders. As compared to ...

Induction of Complete Transection-Type Spinal Cord Injury in Mice

Spinal cord injury (SCI) largely leads to irreversible and permanent loss of function, most commonly as a result of trauma. Several treatment options, such as cell transplantation methods, are being researched to overcome the debilitating disabilities arising from SCI. Most pre-clinical animal trials are conducted in rodent models of SCI. While rat models of SCI have been widely used, mouse models have received less attention, even though mouse models can have significant advantages over rat models. The small size of mice equates to lower animal maintenance costs than for rats, and the availability of numerous transgenic mouse models is advantageous for many types of studies. Inducing repeatable and precise injury in the animals is the primary challenge for SCI research, which in small rodents requires high-precision surgery. The transection-type injury model has been a commonly used injury model over the last decade for transplantation-based therapeutic research, however a standardized method for inducing a complete transection-type injury in mice does not exist. We have developed a surgical protocol for inducing a complete transection type injury in C57BL/6 mice at thoracic vertebral level 10 (T10). The procedure uses a small tip drill instead of rongeurs to precisely remove the lamina, after which a thin blade with rounded cutting edge is used to induce the spinal cord transection. This method leads to reproducible transection-type injury in small rodents with minimal collateral muscle and bone damage and therefore minimizes confounding factors, specifically where behavioral functional outcomes are analyzed.

This protocol describes how to create a precise laminectomy for induction of stable transection-type spinal cord injury in the mouse model, with minimal collateral damage for spinal cord injury research.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) largely leads to irreversible and permanent loss of function, most commonly as a result of trauma. Several treatment options, ...