title: Review of animal models of surgically induced spinal neural tube defects: implications for fetal surgery.
abstract: Animal models have been used to help study the embryopathy and pathophysiology of neurological deterioration in open neural tube defects. Results from studies of lesion induction and defect repair in these animals have become the basis for intrauterine repair in humans. This review attempts to discern the advantages and flaws in animal models that may help us understand why spinal cord function is not preserved to the same degree in humans compared to the animal models.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neurosurgery Service, Division of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fuh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005332:Fetoscopy; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012756:Sheep; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013552:Swine