Name: a neurosphere assay to evaluate endogenous neural stem cell activation in a mouse model of minimal spinal cord injury
Uploaded: 2018-09-13T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Neurosphere Assay to Evaluate Endogenous Neural Stem Cell Activation in a Mouse Model of Minimal Spinal Cord Injury at JoVE.com

This work is funded by the Krembil Foundation (operating grant CMM). WX was the recipient of the Carlton Marguerite Smith student award. NL received an Ontario Graduate Scholarship.

This protocol was approved by the Animal Care Committee at the University of Toronto and is in accordance with the &#34;Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animals&#34; (2nd Edition, Canadian Council on Animal Care, 2017).
1. Minimal Spinal Cord Injury Surgery
NOTE: Prior to surgery make sure that all surgical instruments and materials are sterilized by appropriate methods (Figure 1A).
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	<li>Build a thoracic suppo...

<ol>
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J., Tator, C. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Proliferation,+migration,+and+differentiation+of+endogenous+ependymal+region+stem/progenitor+cells+following+minimal+spinal+cord+injury+in+the+adult+rat.">Proliferation, migration, and differentiation of endogenous ependymal region stem/progenitor cells following minimal spinal cord injury in the adult rat.</a> Neuroscience. 131 (1), 177-187 (2005).</li><li>Thuret, S., Moon, L. D., Gage, F. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Therapeutic+interventions+after+spinal+cord+injury.">Therapeutic interventions after spinal cord injury.</a> Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 7 (8), 628-643 (2006).</li><li>Bethea, J. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Systemically+administered+interleukin-10+reduces+tumor+necrosis+factor-alpha+production+and+significantly+improves+functional+recovery+following+traumatic+spinal+cord+injury+in+rats.">Systemically administered interleukin-10 reduces tumor necrosis factor-alpha production and significantly improves functional recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury in rats.</a> Journal of Neurotrauma. 16 (10), 851-863 (1999).</li><li>Donnelly, D. J., Popovich, P. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Inflammation+and+its+role+in+neuroprotection,+axonal+regeneration+and+functional+recovery+after+spinal+cord+injury.">Inflammation and its role in neuroprotection, axonal regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury.</a> Experimental Neurology. 209 (2), 378-388 (2008).</li><li>Cummings, B. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+neural+stem+cells+differentiate+and+promote+locomotor+recovery+in+spinal+cord-injured+mice.">Human neural stem cells differentiate and promote locomotor recovery in spinal cord-injured mice.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 102 (39), 14069-14074 (2005).</li><li>Beattie, M. S., Hermann, G. E., Rogers, R. C., Bresnahan, J. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+death+in+models+of+spinal+cord+injury.">Cell death in models of spinal cord injury.</a> Progress in Brain Research. 137, 37-47 (2002).</li><li>Metz, G. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Validation+of+the+weight-drop+contusion+model+in+rats:+a+comparative+study+of+human+spinal+cord+injury.">Validation of the weight-drop contusion model in rats: a comparative study of human spinal cord injury.</a> Journal of Neurotrauma. 17 (1), 1-17 (2000).</li><li>Faulkner, J. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Reactive+astrocytes+protect+tissue+and+preserve+function+after+spinal+cord+injury.">Reactive astrocytes protect tissue and preserve function after spinal cord injury.</a> Journal of Neuroscience. 24 (9), 2143-2155 (2004).</li><li>Cheriyan, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spinal+cord+injury+models:+a+review.">Spinal cord injury models: a review.</a> Spinal Cord. 52 (8), 588-595 (2014).</li><li>Deleyrolle, L. P., Reynolds, B. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation,+expansion,+and+differentiation+of+adult+Mammalian+neural+stem+and+progenitor+cells+using+the+neurosphere+assay.">Isolation, expansion, and differentiation of adult Mammalian neural stem and progenitor cells using the neurosphere assay.</a> Neural Cell Transplantation: Methods and Protocols. , 91-101 (2009).</li><li>Singec, I., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Defining+the+actual+sensitivity+and+specificity+of+the+neurosphere+assay+in+stem+cell+biology.">Defining the actual sensitivity and specificity of the neurosphere assay in stem cell biology.</a> Nature Methods. 3 (10), (2006).</li><li>Mignone, J. L., Kukekov, V., Chiang, A. S., Steindler, D., Enikolopov, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neural+stem+and+progenitor+cells+in+nestin-GFP+transgenic+mice.">Neural stem and progenitor cells in nestin-GFP transgenic mice.</a> The Journal of Comparative Neurology. 469 (3), 311-324 (2004).</li><li>Xu, W., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Myelin+basic+protein+regulates+primitive+and+definitive+neural+stem+cell+proliferation+from+the+adult+spinal+cord.">Myelin basic protein regulates primitive and definitive neural stem cell proliferation from the adult spinal cord.</a> Stem Cells. 35 (2), 485-496 (2017).</li><li>Sachewsky, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Primitive+neural+stem+cells+in+the+adult+mammalian+brain+give+rise+to+GFAP-expressing+neural+stem+cells.">Primitive neural stem cells in the adult mammalian brain give rise to GFAP-expressing neural stem cells.</a> Stem Cell Reports. 2 (6), 810-824 (2014).</li><li>Mothe, A., Tator, C. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+of+neural+stem/progenitor+cells+from+the+periventricular+region+of+the+adult+rat+and+human+spinal+cord.">Isolation of neural stem/progenitor cells from the periventricular region of the adult rat and human spinal cord.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (99), (2015).</li><li>Absher, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hemocytometer+counting.">Hemocytometer counting.</a> Tissue Culture. , 395-397 (1973).</li><li>Azari, H., Rahman, M., Sharififar, S., Reynolds, B. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+and+expansion+of+the+adult+mouse+neural+stem+cells+using+the+neurosphere+assay.">Isolation and expansion of the adult mouse neural stem cells using the neurosphere assay.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (45), (2010).</li><li>Xiong, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Preconditioning+with+isoflurane+produces+dose-dependent+neuroprotection+via+activation+of+adenosine+triphosphate-regulated+potassium+channels+after+focal+cerebral+ischemia+in+rats.">Preconditioning with isoflurane produces dose-dependent neuroprotection via activation of adenosine triphosphate-regulated potassium channels after focal cerebral ischemia in rats.</a> Anesthesia and Analgesia. 96 (1), 233-237 (2003).</li><li>Metz, G. A., Merkler, D., Dietz, V., Schwab, M. E., Fouad, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Efficient+testing+of+motor+function+in+spinal+cord+injured+rats.">Efficient testing of motor function in spinal cord injured rats.</a> Brain Research. 883 (2), 165-177 (2000).</li><li>Hamers, F. P., Koopmans, G. C., Joosten, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=CatWalk-assisted+gait+analysis+in+the+assessment+of+spinal+cord+injury.">CatWalk-assisted gait analysis in the assessment of spinal cord injury.</a> Journal of Neurotrauma. 23 (3-4), 537-548 (2006).</li></ol>

During the surgical procedure, there are a few critical steps where the researcher should pay particular attention to in order to obtain optimal outcomes and minimize variability between animals. Care must be taken with the inhaled anesthesia (isoflurane) during surgery as the anesthetic has been shown to have neuroprotective effects with prolonged exposure27. Accordingly, when studying the regenerative capacity of the spinal cord following injury, make an effort to perform the surgery as quickly ...

The central nervous system contains a subpopulation of self-renewing, multipotent stem cells that have the capacity to give rise to all the different mature neural cell types1,2,3,4. These neural stem cells (NSCs) reside in specialized niches in the brain and spinal cord and can be activated following&#160;injury to proliferate, migrate, and differentiate into mature neural cells. NSCs and their progeny have been shown to migrate to the injury site in cortical injury models5,6. In the brain, NSCs have been shown to migrate from the lateral ventricles to the site of injury where they differentiate into astrocytes that contribute to glial scar formation7. In the spinal cord, however, few studies have been done to ask if these same endogenous NSCs can be harnessed to promote recovery following spinal cord injury. Indeed, there is currently a debate as to whether activation of the stem cell pool in the spinal cord requires a direct physical damage of the periventricular niche lining the central canal8 or if the damage to the spinal cord parenchyma (leaving the stem cell niche intact) is sufficient to activate endogenous NSCs9.
A number of spinal cord injury (SCI) models have been used to study the pathophysiology of acute and chronic injury. These models have also been used to test potential therapies to treat SCI through neuroprotection, immunomodulation, and developing cell transplantation/replacement strategies10,11,13. Current models include compression and/or contusion injuries, which cause large-scale functional deficits as well as extensive lesions and cavitations in the cord14,15. Resultant glial scars can span several spinal segments along with the majority of the width/circumference of the spinal cord16. Thus, while these models are clinically relevant, they afford significant challenges to studying the response of endogenous NSCs following injury. There are chemical models of injury that can be adapted to cause milder forms of injury that can spare the central canal17. However, these types of injury focus on the demyelination associated with SCI and are not clinically relevant models for the physical and/or mechanical damage associated with traumatic SCI.
To address the limitations of current injury models, we have adapted a needle track minimal SCI model, originally developed in the rat9, for the application in an adult mouse model. Our adapted injury model can create a consistent lesion of the dorsolateral region of the mouse spinal cord and spare the central canal at the level(s) of injury. The advantage of this model is that it permits the study of NSC kinetics following injury and their potential radial migration to the site of injury. The use of a mouse model also permits the use of transgenic mice that allow lineage tracking of endogenous NSCs and their progeny following injury. The properties of NSCs can further be assessed using a modified form of the in vitro neurosphere assay that is introduced in this protocol.
The neurosphere assay is an in vitro colony-forming assay that permits the isolation of NSCs in the presence of mitogens. At clonal plating densities, individual NSCs proliferate to give rise to free-floating spherical colonies of cells that are comprised of a small subpopulation of NSCs and a vast majority of progenitors18,19. In our protocol, we demonstrate the isolation of two distinct, lineally-related NSCs from the periventricular region of the spinal cord &#8212; under baseline conditions and following our minimal SCI model. Definitive neural stem cells (dNSCs) express nestin and the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and are grown in the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and heparin (together termed EFH)20. These dNSCs are rare in the naive spinal cord, giving rise to very few neurospheres in vitro. However, we show that dNSCs are activated following minimal SCI, expanding the numbers of neurospheres isolated from the periventricular region21. Primitive neural stem cells (pNSCs) are upstream of dNSCs in the neural stem cell lineage. pNSCs are exceedingly rare, express low levels of the pluripotency marker Oct4, and are leukemia inhibitory factor (LiF) responsive22. pNSCs do not form neurospheres when isolated from the adult mouse spinal cord due to the presence of myelin basic protein (MBP) in primary cultures; however, pNSC neurospheres can be isolated from MBP deficient mice and their numbers are expanded following injury &#8212; similar to dNSCs21. Finally, we show that dNSC-derived neurospheres can be isolated from the site of injury at early times following minimal SCI. These findings demonstrate that our injury model and assays can assess the activation characteristics of periventricular NSCs such as their ability to proliferate and migrate in response to injury.

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			<td>Any appropriate</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Standard Dissection Tools</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td style="width:197px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Dissection Microscope</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Zeiss</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">Stemi 2000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Counting Microscope</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Olympus</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">CKX41</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Neural Basal-A Medium</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">10888-022</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">B27</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">17404-044</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Penicillin- Streptomycin</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Gibco</td>
			<td align="right" style="width:197px;">15070</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">L- Glutamine</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Gibco</td>
			<td align="right" style="width:197px;">25030</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">DMEM</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td align="right" style="width:197px;">12100046</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">F12</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td align="right" style="width:197px;">12700075</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:203px;">30% Glucose</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">G6152</td>
			<td>1M- 9.01g in 100mL dH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">1M Glucose</td>
			<td style="width:201px;"></td>
			<td style="width:197px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:203px;">7.5% NaHCO3</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">S5761</td>
			<td>155mM- 1.30g in 100mL dH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">155mM NaHCO3</td>
			<td style="width:201px;"></td>
			<td style="width:197px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="24">
			<td height="24" style="height:24px;width:203px;">1M HEPES</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">H3375</td>
			<td>23.83 g in 100mL dH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Apo-Transferrin</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">3188-AT</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Putrescine&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">P7505</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Insulin</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">I5500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Selenium</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">S9133</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Progesterone</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">P6149</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:203px;">Papain Dissociation System&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Worthington Biochemical Corporation</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">PDS</td>
			<td>1 vial of papain can be used for 2 samples</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:203px;">Epidermal Growth Factor</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">PMG8041</td>
			<td>Powder reconstituted with 1mL Hormone Mix and aliquoted into 20uL vials to be stored in freezer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:203px;">Fibroblast Growth Factor</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">PHG0226</td>
			<td>Powder reconstituted with 0.5mL Hormone Mix and aliquoted into 20uL vials to be stored in freezer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Heparin</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">H3149</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Leukemia Inhibitory Factor</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">In House</td>
			<td style="width:197px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Trypan Blue</td>
			<td style="width:201px;"></td>
			<td style="width:197px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">Hemocytometer</td>
			<td style="width:201px;"></td>
			<td style="width:197px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:203px;">24 well Plates</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">NUNC</td>
			<td style="width:197px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:203px;">2M NaCl</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">S5886</td>
			<td>11.69g in 100mL dH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:203px;">1M KCL</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">P5405</td>
			<td>7.46g in 100mL dH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:203px;">1M MgCl2</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">M2393</td>
			<td>20.33g in 100mL dH2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:203px;">108mM CaCl2</td>
			<td style="width:201px;">Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:197px;">C7902</td>
			<td>1.59g in 100mL dH2O</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

a neurosphere assay to evaluate endogenous neural stem cell activation in a mouse model of minimal spinal cord injury

Neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult mammalian spinal cord are a relatively mitotically quiescent population of periventricular cells that can be studied in vitro using the neurosphere assay. This colony-forming assay is a powerful tool to study the response of NSCs to exogenous factors in a dish; however, this can also be used to study the effect of in vivo manipulations with the proper understanding of the strengths and limitations of the assay. One manipulation of the clinical interest is the effect of injury on endogenous NSC activation. Current models of spinal cord injury provide a challenge to study this as the severity of common contusion, compression, and transection models cause the destruction of the NSC niche at the site of the injury where the stem cells reside. Here, we describe a minimal injury model that causes localized damage at the superficial dorsolateral surface of the lower thoracic level (T7/8) of the adult mouse spinal cord. This injury model spares the central canal at the level of injury and permits analysis of the NSCs that reside at the level of the lesion at various time points following injury. Here, we show how the neurosphere assay can be utilized to study the activation of the two distinct, lineally-related, populations of NSCs that reside in the spinal cord periventricular region - primitive and definitive NSCs (pNSCs and dNSCs, respectively). We demonstrate how to isolate and culture these NSCs from the periventricular region at the level of injury and the white matter injury site. Our post-surgical spinal cord dissections show increased numbers of pNSC and dNSC-derived neurospheres from the periventricular region of injured cords compared to controls, speaking to their activation via injury. Furthermore, following injury, dNSC-derived neurospheres can be isolated from the injury site &#8212; demonstrating the ability of NSCs to migrate from their periventricular niche to sites of injury.

Following surgery, the mice should experience minimal motor deficits which may include tail and possible hind-limb paresis for up to 24 h. After this time, the mice should experience no hind-limb paralysis and/or paresis and minimal changes in gait.
Figure 3 shows representative results from the neurosphere assay 5 days following the minimal spinal cord injury. The absolute numbers of dNSC-derived n...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Neurosphere Assay to Evaluate Endogenous Neural Stem Cell Activation in a Mouse Model of Minimal Spinal Cord Injury at JoVE.com

A Neurosphere Assay to Evaluate Endogenous Neural Stem Cell Activation in a Mouse Model of Minimal Spinal Cord Injury

Here, we demonstrate the performance of a minimal spinal cord injury model in an adult mouse that spares the central canal niche housing endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs). We show how the neurosphere assay can be used to quantify activation and migration of definitive and primitive NSCs following injury.

Neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult mammalian spinal cord are a relatively mitotically quiescent population of periventricular cells that can be studied ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

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 ...

Isolation and Expansion of the Adult Mouse Neural Stem Cells Using the Neurosphere Assay

Isolation and expansion of the putative neural stem cells (NSCs) from the adult murine brain was first described by Reynolds and Weiss in 1992 employing a ...

Establishing Embryonic Mouse Neural Stem Cell Culture Using the Neurosphere Assay

In mammalians, stem cells acts as a source of undifferentiated cells to maintain cell genesis and renewal in different tissues and organs during the life ...

Neural-Colony Forming Cell Assay: An Assay To Discriminate Bona Fide Neural Stem Cells from Neural Progenitor Cells

The neurosphere assay (NSA) is one of the most frequently used methods to isolate, expand and also calculate the frequency of neural stem cells (NSCs). ...

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 ...

Isolation and Culture of Neural Crest Cells from Embryonic Murine Neural Tube

The embryonic neural crest (NC) is a multipotent progenitor population that originates at the dorsal aspect of the neural tube, undergoes an epithelial to ...

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

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 ...

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

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 ...

Laminectomy and Spinal Cord Window Implantation in the Mouse

This protocol describes a method for spinal cord laminectomy and glass window implantation for in vivo imaging of the mouse spinal cord. An integrated ...

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 ...