Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China.
Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.
J Neurosci Methods. 2012 Feb 15;204(1):150-158. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2011.10.018. Epub 2011 Nov 9.
Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) always leads to severe destruction of the microvascular networks. To investigate the three-dimensional (3D) alterations of microvasculature following SCI, we utilized an established rat SCI model. Based on the hypothesis that the spinal cord would undergo reorganization and postinjury modification of the vascular networks after SCI, we reconstructed the normal and injured angioarchitecture using micro-CT images of silicone rubber microsphere-perfused specimens. Several morphometric parameters were used to study the 3D vascular alterations in the SCI rat model, including the casting-based vessel volume fraction, connectivity density, separation, thickness and thickness distribution. Our results indicated that the microvascular spatial conformations were significantly different between the normal and injured spinal cord segments. The morphometric changes showed an increase of the vessel volume fraction and separation and a decrease of vessel connectivity density during the vascular healing process after SCI. Our results may contribute to elucidation of the mechanisms of compensatory vascular reconstitution in traumatized spinal cord. The method used here has the potential to improve our understanding of changes in the spatial architecture of vascular networks after SCI compared to the conventional histomorphology techniques. In summary, we developed a new methodology to analyze neurovascular pathology based on 3D vascular network patterns and features in an experimental rat SCI model. This technique could be used as a complementary tool to investigate the efficacy and side effects of therapeutic drugs or rehabilitation regimens.
急性脊髓损伤 (SCI) 通常会导致微血管网络的严重破坏。为了研究 SCI 后微血管的三维 (3D) 改变,我们建立了大鼠 SCI 模型。基于脊髓在 SCI 后会发生重组和血管网络损伤后改建的假设,我们使用硅橡胶微球灌注标本的 micro-CT 图像重建了正常和损伤的血管结构。使用几个形态计量学参数来研究 SCI 大鼠模型中的 3D 血管改变,包括基于铸造的血管体积分数、连通密度、分离、厚度和厚度分布。我们的结果表明,正常和损伤的脊髓节段之间的微血管空间构象存在显著差异。形态计量学变化显示,在 SCI 后血管愈合过程中,血管体积分数、分离增加,而血管连通密度降低。我们的结果可能有助于阐明创伤性脊髓中代偿性血管重建的机制。与传统的组织形态学技术相比,这里使用的方法有可能更好地了解 SCI 后血管网络空间结构的变化。总之,我们在实验性大鼠 SCI 模型中开发了一种新的方法,基于 3D 血管网络模式和特征来分析神经血管病理学。该技术可以作为一种补充工具,用于研究治疗药物或康复方案的疗效和副作用。