Asymmetrically lesioned mesencephalon in healthy rodents: call for caution.
Stereological counting of tyrosine-hydroxylase immunoreactive (TH-IR) neurons in the mesencephalon is a pivotal parameter in assessing the extent of lesioning in animal models of Parkinson's disease. We here show that the number of TH-IR neurons often appears abnormally decreased in healthy--commercially available--mice and rats, although both the number of Nissl-stained cells and the striatal dopaminergic innervation are unaffected. This potential bias in assessing extent of neurotoxin-induced lesion and subsequent protection by pharmacological manipulation prompts us to call for caution in setting up experimental designs.
Pioli
Elsa Y
EY
Basal Gang, Laboratoire de Physiologie et Physiopathologie de la Signalisation Cellulaire, CNRS UMR 5543, Université Victor Segalen, 146 rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France.
Dovero
Sandra
S
Bioulac
Bernard H
BH
Gross
Christian E
CE
Bezard
Erwan
E
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011336:Probability; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*
D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase