title: Blood supply to the thoracolumbar spinal cord in the laboratory mouse using corrosion and dissection techniques.
abstract: Mice are used frequently as experimental models in the study of ischemic spinal cord injury. The aim of the present study was to describe the arterial blood supply to the thoracolumbar spinal cord in the mouse. The study was carried out on 20 adult mice using the corrosion and dissection technique. Dorsal intercostal arteries were found as branches of the thoracic aorta: as 7 pairs in 80% of cases, as 8 pairs in 15% of cases and as 9 pairs in 5% of cases. The paired lumbar arteries arising from the abdominal aorta were present as 5 pairs in all cases. Along the entire thoracic and lumbar spinal regions, we observed left-sided branches entering the ventral spinal artery in 64.2% and right-sided branches in 35.8% of cases. Along the entire thoracic and lumbar spinal regions, the branches entering the dorsal spinal arteries were left-sided in 60.8% of cases and right-sided in 39.2% of cases. We found some variations in the site of origin of the artery of Adamkiewicz and in the number of dorsal spinal arteries. Documenting the anatomical variations in spinal cord blood supply in the laboratory mouse will aid the planning of future experimental studies and in determining the clinical relevance of such studies.
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Physiology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Komenskeho 73, Kosice, 041 81, Slovak Republic. slavka.flesarova@uvlf.sk.
authors: Slavka
authors: S
authors: Flesarova
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Physiology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Komenskeho 73, Kosice, 041 81, Slovak Republic.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Mazensky
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Physiology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Komenskeho 73, Kosice, 041 81, Slovak Republic.
authors: Jana
authors: J
authors: Teleky
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Physiology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Komenskeho 73, Kosice, 041 81, Slovak Republic.
authors: Viera
authors: V
authors: Almasiova
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Physiology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Komenskeho 73, Kosice, 041 81, Slovak Republic.
authors: Katarina
authors: K
authors: Holovska
authors: Institute of Nutrition, Dietetics and Feed Production, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Komenskeho 73, Kosice, 041 81, Slovak Republic.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Supuka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016319:Corrosion Casting / Q000379:methods*; D004210:Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae
keywords: Anatomic variation; Blood supply; Ischemia; Mice; Spinal cord