Long-term in vivo imaging of normal and pathological mouse spinal cord with subcellular resolution using implanted glass windows

J Physiol, 2012 · DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.230532 · Published: May 28, 2012

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Medical Imaging

Simple Explanation

The study introduces a method for implanting glass windows over the spinal cords of mice. This allows repeated in vivo microscopy without repeated surgeries. The implanted windows remain clear for months and do not damage axons or blood vessels. This makes them useful for studying cellular dynamics after spinal cord injury. The technique enables the tracking of axon degeneration/retraction and regeneration following spinal cord injuries with high temporal resolution.

Study Duration

Up to 350 days

Participants

43 adult mice

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Implanted glass windows stabilize the spinal cord, reduce motion artifacts, and remain clear for extended periods.
2
The glass window implantation induces only a transient immune response in the spinal cord.
3
Regenerating axons can cross a spinal cord injury site within 4 days, with their terminals undergoing morphological changes for weeks afterward.

Research Summary

The study presents a novel glass window implantation method for chronic in vivo spinal cord imaging in mice, enabling repeated, high-resolution microscopy without repeated surgeries. The implanted windows remained clear for up to 350 days, caused minimal damage to the spinal cord, and allowed for the observation of axon dynamics after injury. This technique can be adapted to evaluate cellular functions and therapeutic strategies in normal and diseased spinal cords, offering significant improvements over existing methods.

Practical Implications

Improved Spinal Cord Research

This technique provides a high-throughput, low-cost method for studying spinal cord physiology and pathology over extended periods with high temporal fidelity.

Therapeutic Evaluation

The method can be used to assess the efficacy and target selectivity of new therapeutic molecules for spinal cord injuries and diseases in real-time.

Cell Graft Tracking

The glass window technique facilitates the tracking of grafted cells in cell graft therapies, helping to clarify the mechanisms responsible for their beneficial effects.