Establishment of experimental glioma models at the intrinsic brainstem region of the rats.
OBJECTIVE
As the treatment of human intrinsic brainstem gliomas remains challenging, experimental glioma models are needed.


METHODS
We developed a rat model of intrinsic brain stem glioma that uses a stereotactic frame to fix the head for the delivery of C6 glioma cells to target sites via a permanently implanted cannula. We inoculated the rat midbrain, pons or cerebral cortex with 5 x 10(4) cells suspended in 1 microl culture medium over the course of 2 minutes.


RESULTS
Three days post-implantation, tumor formation was visible in the periaqueductal gray matter in the midbrain and the tegmentum of the pons. On the tenth day, the tumor diameter exceeded over 2 mm; there was no tumor cell seeding into the cerebrospinal fluid space. The tumor manifested the histological features typical of glioblastoma; Ki-67 labeling index was 32%.


CONCLUSIONS
Because in our model the cannula is permanently implanted, additional inocula can be delivered. Here we detail our rat brainstem glioma model and discuss its usefulness for the investigation of these tumor in humans.
Sho
Atsuko
A
Department of Neurosurgery, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 36-1 Nishi-cho, Yonago 683-8504, Japan. atsukosan@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp
Kondo
Shinji
S
Kamitani
Hideki
H
Otake
Minoru
M
Watanabe
Takashi
T
D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016380:Brain Tissue Transplantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D011149:Pons / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen