Effects of tanycytes transplantation on the motor function score and rubrospinal motor evoked potentials of adult rats after spinal cord completely transected / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine whether tanycytes be able to support the regeneration of completely transected spinal cord in adult rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Subcultured tanycytes was transplanted into completely T8 transected spinal cord using the untranslated completely transected rats as control. After transplantation the rubrospinal motor evoked potentials were recorded below the injury level at the end of 12th week, assistant by Basso-Beatie-Bresnahan locomotor rating scale and histology method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the end of 12th week the total peak amplitude of rubrospinal motor evoked potentials (MD = 133.2 microV, P < 0.01) and BBB locomotor rating scale (MD = 5.0000, P < 0.01) were both significantly improved in cell transplanted group compared with that in the untranslated control group, while the latency of the first peak was shortened (MD = 0.061 ms, P = 0.040). HE staining showed more integrity in transected spinal cords in cells transplanted groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Transplanted tanycytes can support the regeneration of transected spinal cords in rats.</p>

Relationship between graded spinal cord injury and rubrospinal MEPs in rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To explore an accurate neurophysiological technique that demonstrates small functional differences after spinal cord injury and assesses therapeutic interventions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A modified weight drop (WD) technique was used at T8 in rats to build graded spinal cord injury model. Rubrospinal MEPs were recorded at T13 epidurally to monitor spinal cord function in end week 4 after graded spinal cord injury. The efficacy of this techniques to monitor spinal cord function was compared to BBB locomotor rating scale and histologic evaluation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A characteristic peak complex of rubrospinal MEPs in sham-operated group consisted of 5-7 positive waves and 4-5 negative waves emerging after red nucleus stimulation. The summed peak to peak amplitude (for practical reasons, called peak amplitude) was (195.25 +/- 34.35) microV and decreased following spinal cord injury. The latency of the first peak (positive wave) was (1.57 +/- 0.15) ms and prolonged following spinal cord injury. Significant Linear relationship existed between the peak amplitude and the BBB scores (r = 0.79) and between the peak amplitude and the residual matter obtained from the section with maximum tissue damage( r = 0.87). The close relationship between the latency of the first peak and the BBB scores (r = -0.88) and between the latency of the first peak and residual matter (r = -0.86) were observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Amplitudes and latencies of rubrospinal MEPs are very valuable parameters to demonstrate small function differences. Rubrospinal MEPs can be used as a reliable measure for motor function prognosis after spinal cord injury.</p>