The spatiotemporal spread of cervical spinal cord contusion injury pathology revealed by 3D in-line phase contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography.

The spatiotemporal spread of cervical spinal cord contusion injury pathology revealed by 3D in-line phase contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography. Exp Neurol. 2020 Nov 18;:113529 Authors: Strotton MC, Bodey AJ, Wanelik K, Hobbs C, Rau C, Bradbury EJ Abstract Extensive structural changes occur within the spinal cord following traumatic injury. Acute tissue debris and necrotic tissue are broken down, proliferating local glia and infiltrating leukocytes remodel tissue biochemical and biophysical properties, and a chronic cavity surrounded by a scar forms at the injury epicentre. Serial-section 2D histology has traditionally assessed these features in experimental models of spinal cord injury (SCI) to measure the extent of tissue pathology and evaluate efficacy of novel therapies. However, this 2D snapshot approach overlooks slice intervening features, with accurate representation of tissue compromised by mechanical processing artefacts. 3D imaging avoids these caveats and allows full exploration of the injured tissue volume to characterise whole tissue pathology. Amongst 3D imaging modalities, Synchrotron Radiation X-ray microtomography (SRμCT) is advantageous for its speed, ability to cover large tissue volumes at high resolution, and need for minimal sample processing. Here we demonstrate how extended lengths of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) rat spinal cord can be completely imaged by SRμCT with micron resolution. Labe...
Source: Experimental Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Exp Neurol Source Type: research