A reproducible experimental model of focal cerebral ischemia in the neonatal rat.
Recent data suggest that the incidence of focal cerebral ischemia (FCI) and stroke is higher than previously recognized and could account for a large proportion of brain lesions in the preterm and full term neonate. Therefore, it is critically important to develop an appropriate model of FCI in neonatal animals. We describe here a modified model of permanent FCI in rat pups at postnatal day-7 (P7). To produce permanent FCI, a suture embolus with different diameters (180-220 microm) was inserted into the left common carotid artery (CCA) of the pups with different weight (14-19 g). Then the suture embolus was advanced to the middle cerebral artery (MCA) to produce its occlusion. The success of vascular occlusion was evaluated by imaging the ischemic territory on serial brain sections with carbon black staining immediately after permanent FCI. The consistent cerebral infarction was confirmed by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining 24 h after permanent FCI. Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-triphospate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining showed cell death with TUNEL labeling in the ischemic areas, which is one of the features of apoptosis. The present model opens the way for advanced pathophysiological studies of FCI in neonates.
Wen
Tong-Chun
TC
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 2040 Ridgewood Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Rogido
Marta
M
Gressens
Pierre
P
Sola
Augusto
A
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002244:Carbon; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*
D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D002244:Carbon; C009591:triphenyltetrazolium