Measurement of solute permeability in the mouse spinal cord

Da Vitoria Lobo, M.E., Bates, D.O., Arkill, K.P. and Hulse, R.P. ORCID: 0000-0002-5193-9822, 2023. Measurement of solute permeability in the mouse spinal cord. Journal of Neuroscience Methods: 109880. ISSN 0165-0270

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Abstract

Background: Sensory perception and motor dexterity is coordinated by the spinal cord, which remains effective due to maintenance of neuronal homeostasis. This is stringently controlled by the blood spinal cord barrier. Therefore, the function of the spinal cord is susceptible to alterations in the microvessel integrity (e.g. vascular leakage) and/or perfusion (e.g. changes in blood flow).

New Method: Spinal cord solute permeability was measured in anaesthetised mice. The lumbar spinal cord vertebra were stabilised and a coverslip secured to allow fluorescent tracers of vascular function and anatomy to be visualised in the vascular network. Fluorescence microscopy allowed real time measurements of vascular leakage and capillary perfusion within the spinal cord.

Results: Capillaries were identified through fluorescent labelling of the endothelial luminal glycocalyx (wheat germ agglutin 555). Real time estimation of vascular permeability through visualisation of sodium fluorescein transport was recorded from identified microvessels in the lumbar dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

Comparison with Existing Method(s): Current approaches have used histological and/or tracer based in-vivo assays alongside cell culture to determine endothelium integrity and/or function. These only provide a snapshot of the developing vasculopathy, restricting the understanding of physiological function or disease progression over time.

Conclusions: These techniques allow for direct visualisation of cellular and/or mechanistic influences upon vascular function and integrity, which can be applied to rodent models including disease, transgenic and/or viral approaches. This combination of attributes allows for real time understanding of the function of the vascular network within the spinal cord.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Creators:	Da Vitoria Lobo, M.E., Bates, D.O., Arkill, K.P. and Hulse, R.P.
Publisher:	Elsevier
Date:	11 May 2023
ISSN:	0165-0270
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2023.109880 DOI 1760631 Other
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Laura Ward
Date Added:	15 May 2023 08:45
Last Modified:	11 May 2024 03:00
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/48957

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