title: Lizard tail spinal cord: a new experimental model of spinal cord injury without limb paralysis.
abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a well-known devastating lesion that sadly is very resistant to all treatment attempts. This fact has stimulated the exploration of multiple regenerative strategies that are examined at both the basic and clinical level. For laboratory research, differentin vivomodels are used, but each has many important limitations. The main limitation of these models is the high level of animal suffering related to the inflicted neurologic injury. It has caused a growing tendency to limit the injury, but this, in turn, produces incomplete SCI models and uncertainties in the neuroregeneration interpretation. To overcome such limitations, a new experimental SCI model is proposed. Geckos have been extensively examined as a potential animal model of SCI. Their spinal cord extends into the tail and can be transected without causing the typical neurologic consequences observed in rat models. In this study, we compared the gecko tail SCI model with the rat model of thoracic SCI. Anatomic and histologic analyses showed comparability between the gecko and rat in diameter of spinal canal and spinal cord, as well as applicability of multiple staining techniques (hematoxylin and eosin, immunostaining, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy). We tested the suitability ofin vivostudy with 3 prototype implants for the reconstruction of SCI: a multichannel sponge, a multilaminar tube, and a gel cylinder. These were compared with a spinal cord excision (control). A 20-wk observation revealed no adverse effects of SCI on the animals' well-being. The animals were easily housed and observed. Histologic analysis showed growth of nervous tissue elements on implant surface and implant cellular colonization. The study showed that the gecko SCI model can be used as a primary model for the assessment of SCI treatment methods. It provides a platform for testing multiple solutions with limited animal suffering before performing tests on mammals. Detailed results of the experimental conditions and testing techniques are provided.-Szarek, D., Marycz, K., Lis, A., Zawada, Z., Tabakow, P., Laska, J., Jarmundowicz, W. Lizard tail spinal cord: a new experimental model of spinal cord injury without limb paralysis.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Neurosurgery, Lower Silesia Specialist Hospital of T. Marciniak, Emergency Medicine Center, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Electron Microscopy, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Biomaterials, AGH (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza) University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland; Department of Biology, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland; and Department of Neurosurgery, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland szarekdariusz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Szarek
authors.affiliation: *Department of Neurosurgery, Lower Silesia Specialist Hospital of T. Marciniak, Emergency Medicine Center, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Electron Microscopy, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Biomaterials, AGH (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza) University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland; Department of Biology, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland; and Department of Neurosurgery, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marycz
authors.affiliation: *Department of Neurosurgery, Lower Silesia Specialist Hospital of T. Marciniak, Emergency Medicine Center, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Electron Microscopy, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Biomaterials, AGH (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza) University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland; Department of Biology, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland; and Department of Neurosurgery, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lis
authors.affiliation: *Department of Neurosurgery, Lower Silesia Specialist Hospital of T. Marciniak, Emergency Medicine Center, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Electron Microscopy, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Biomaterials, AGH (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza) University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland; Department of Biology, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland; and Department of Neurosurgery, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zawada
authors.affiliation: *Department of Neurosurgery, Lower Silesia Specialist Hospital of T. Marciniak, Emergency Medicine Center, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Electron Microscopy, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Biomaterials, AGH (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza) University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland; Department of Biology, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland; and Department of Neurosurgery, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tabakow
authors.affiliation: *Department of Neurosurgery, Lower Silesia Specialist Hospital of T. Marciniak, Emergency Medicine Center, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Electron Microscopy, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Biomaterials, AGH (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza) University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland; Department of Biology, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland; and Department of Neurosurgery, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laska
authors.affiliation: *Department of Neurosurgery, Lower Silesia Specialist Hospital of T. Marciniak, Emergency Medicine Center, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Electron Microscopy, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland; Department of Biomaterials, AGH (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza) University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland; Department of Biology, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland; and Department of Neurosurgery, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Włodzimierz
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jarmundowicz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005121:Extremities / Q000294:innervation*; D005260:Female; D008116:Lizards; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013623:Tail / Q000294:innervation*
keywords: SCI; animal laboratory model; gecko; implant; rat