ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the difference of Brn-4 mRNA expression between the fimbria/fornix-transected rats and normal ones. Methods Forty-two SD rats were randomly divided into 7 groups,6 rats in each group.One group served as normal control and the others served as fimbria/fornix transected 1st,3rd,7th,14th,21st and 28th day group,respectively.Then hippocampi were isolated and total RNA was extracted.Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) method was used in detection of the expression change of Brn-4 mRNA in hippocampus after fimbria/fornix transection.Results The expression level of Brn-4 mRNA started to increase on the 3 days after fimbria/fornix transection.The peak appeared on the 14 days,then decreased slowly to pre-transection level on the 28 days.Conclusion The process that the expression of Brn-4 mRNA increases significantly after fimbria/fornix transection,perhaps,might be related to the transplanted neural stem cells(NSCs) differentiating into neurons and AChE positive neurons in hippocampus.