Spinal Cord Injury and Assays for Regeneration

Methods Mol Biol, 2024 · DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3401-1_14 · Published: January 1, 2024

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine Neurology

Simple Explanation

Adult zebrafish can recover from complete spinal cord transection within 8 weeks, unlike mammals. Following spinal cord injury, zebrafish develop glial and axonal bridges that facilitate tissue regeneration and neuronal repair. Researchers can quantify the extent of spinal cord regeneration by assessing swim endurance using a swim tunnel and by analyzing glial and axonal bridging through histological examination.

Study Duration

8 weeks

Participants

Adult Zebrafish

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Zebrafish regain swim capacity within 8 weeks of spinal cord injury, indicating successful regeneration.
2
Glial and axonal bridges are extended across the severed tissue in zebrafish, facilitating spinal cord regeneration.
3
The extent of glial and axonal bridging can be quantified through histological examination, providing cellular readouts of spinal cord regeneration.

Research Summary

This paper describes methods for performing complete spinal cord transections in zebrafish and assessing functional and cellular recovery during regeneration. Swim endurance is quantified as a central readout of functional spinal cord repair by subjecting zebrafish to increasing water current velocity until exhaustion. Histological examination is performed to analyze the extents of glial and axonal bridging across the lesion, providing cellular regeneration assessment.

Practical Implications

Model for Spinal Cord Regeneration

Zebrafish serve as a premier vertebrate model for studying the mechanisms of innate spinal cord regeneration.

Quantifiable Functional Readout

Swim endurance assays provide a reliable readout of functional spinal cord repair.

Cellular Regeneration Assessment

Histological methods allow for detailed assessment of glial and axonal bridging, offering insights into cellular regeneration processes.

Study Limitations

1
The study focuses solely on zebrafish, and the results may not be directly transferable to mammals.
2
The protocol describes methods for complete spinal cord transections, which may not fully represent other types of spinal cord injuries.
3
The assessment of swim endurance is a functional readout, but it may not capture all aspects of spinal cord regeneration.

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