Norton Healthcare View Institution's Website 4 articles published in JoVE Neuroscience An In Vivo Duo-color Method for Imaging Vascular Dynamics Following Contusive Spinal Cord Injury Chen Chen1,2, Yi Ping Zhang3, Yan Sun1,4, Wenhui Xiong1, Lisa B. E. Shields3, Christopher B. Shields3,5, Xiaoming Jin1, Xiao-Ming Xu1 1Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, and Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, 2Program in Medical Neuroscience, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, 3Norton Neuroscience Institute, Norton Healthcare, 4Department of Human Anatomy & Histoembryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 5Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine We introduce an in vivo imaging method using two different fluorescent dyes to track dynamic spinal vascular changes following a contusive spinal cord injury in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Medicine A Tissue Displacement-based Contusive Spinal Cord Injury Model in Mice Xiangbing Wu*1, Yi Ping Zhang*2, Wenrui Qu1, Lisa B. E. Shields2, Christopher B. Shields2,3, Xiao-Ming Xu1 1Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Department of Neurological Surgery and Goodman and Campbell Brain and Spine, Indiana University School of Medicine, 2Norton Neuroscience Institute, Norton Healthcare, 3Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville We introduce a tissue displacement-based contusive spinal cord injury model that can produce a consistent contusive spinal cord injury in adult mice. Medicine A Novel Vertebral Stabilization Method for Producing Contusive Spinal Cord Injury Melissa J. Walker*1,2, Chandler L. Walker*1,3, Y. Ping Zhang4, Lisa B. E. Shields4, Christopher B. Shields4, Xiao-Ming Xu1,3 1Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Department of Neurological Surgery and Goodman and Campbell Brain and Spine, Indiana University School of Medicine, 2Medical Neuroscience Graduate Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, 3Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 4Norton Neuroscience Institute, Norton Healthcare Vertebral stabilization is necessary for minimizing variability, and for producing consistent experimental spinal cord injuries. Using a customized stabilizing apparatus in conjunction with the NYU/MASCIS impactor device, we have demonstrated here the proper equipment and procedure for generating reproducible hemi-contusive cervical (C5) spinal cord injuries in adult rats. Medicine Controlled Cervical Laceration Injury in Mice Yi Ping Zhang1, Melissa J. Walker2, Lisa B. E. Shields1, Xiaofei Wang2, Chandler L. Walker2, Xiao-Ming Xu2, Christopher B. Shields1 1Norton Neuroscience Institute, Norton Healthcare, 2Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Department of Neurological Surgery and Goodman and Campbell Brain and Spine, Medical Neuroscience Graduate Program, and Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine A novel technique to create a reproducible in vivo model of cervical spinal cord laceration injury in the mouse is described. This technique is based on spine stabilization by fixation of the cervical facets and laceration of the spinal cord using an oscillating blade with an accuracy of ±0.01 mm.