Direct Cannula Implantation in the Cisterna Magna of Pigs

Summary

This article presents a step-by-step protocol for the direct cannula implantation in the cisterna magna of pigs.

Abstract

The glymphatic system is a waste clearance system in the brain that relies on the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in astrocyte-bound perivascular spaces and has been implicated in the clearance of neurotoxic peptides such as amyloid-beta. Impaired glymphatic function exacerbates disease pathology in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, which highlights the importance of understanding this clearance system. The glymphatic system is often studied by cisterna magna cannulations (CMc), where tracers are delivered directly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Most studies, however, have been carried out in rodents. Here, we demonstrate an adaptation of the CMc technique in pigs. Using CMc in pigs, the glymphatic system can be studied at a high optical resolution in gyrencephalic brains and in doing so bridges the knowledge gap between rodent and human glymphatics.

Introduction

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is an ultrafiltrate of blood which is found within and around the central nervous system (CNS)^1,2. Apart from giving buoyancy to the brain or absorbing damaging mechanical forces, CSF also plays a pivotal role in clearing metabolic waste from the CNS³. Waste clearance is facilitated by the recently characterized glymphatic system which permits the convective flow of CSF through the brain parenchyma via perivascular spaces (PVS), which encircle penetrating arteries^3,4,5....

Protocol

All procedures were carried out in accordance with the European directive 2010/63/EU and were approved by Malmö-Lund Ethical committee on Animal Research (Dnr 5.8.18-05527/2019) and conducted according to the CODEX guidelines of the Swedish Research Council.

1. Preparation

1. Tracer
   1. Prepare artificial CSF (126 mM NaCl, 2.5 mM KCl, 1.25 mM NaH₂PO₄, 2 mM MgCl₂, 2 mM CaCl₂, 10 mM glucose, 26 mM NaHCO₃; pH 7.4)
   2. To 500 μL of artificial CSF, add 10 mg of albumin from bovine serum (BSA) conjugated with Alexa Fluor 647 (BSA-647).
   3. Centrifuge a....

Results

Once the pig is unconscious, it is palpated, and its surface anatomy is marked, starting at the occipital crest (OC) and working towards the thoracic vertebrae (TV) and each ear base (EB). It is along these lines that the dermal incisions are made (Figure 1A). The three muscle layers including trapezius, semispinalis capitus biventer and semispinalis capitus complexus are resected and held open by two sets of self-retaining retractors to expose the cisterna magna (CM) (F.......

Discussion

Herein, is described, a detailed protocol to perform the direct cannulation of the cisterna magna in pigs, including the necessary preparation, surgical procedure, tracer infusion and extraction of the brain. This requires someone with experience and certification for working with large animals. If carried out correctly, this allows for the delivery of desired molecules with surety directly into the CSF, after which a series of different advanced light imaging modalities can be used to explore CSF distribution and glymph.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.01% azide in PBS	Sigmaaldrich	S2002
18G needle	Mediq
1ml Syringe	FischerSci	15849152
20G cannula	Mediq	NA
22G cannula	Mediq	NA
4% paraformaldehyde	Sigmaaldrich	P6148
Anatomical forceps	NA	NA
Bovine serum albumin Alexa-Fluor 647 Conjugate	ThermoFischer	A34785	2 vials (10mg)
CaCl2	Sigmaaldrich	C1016
Chisel	ClasOhlson	40-8870
Dental cement	Agnthos	7508
compact saw	ClasOhlson	40-9517
Glucose	Sigmaaldrich	G8270
Hammer	ClasOhlson	40-7694
Insta-Set CA Accelerator	BSI-Inc	BSI-151
IV line TAP, 3-WAYS with 10cm extension	Bbraun	NA
KCl	Sigmaaldrich	P9333
Marker pen	NA	NA
MgCl2	Sigmaaldrich	M8266
MilliQ water	NA	NA
NaCL	Sigmaaldrich	S7653
NaH2PO4	Sigmaaldrich	S8282
NaHCO3	Sigmaaldrich	S5761
No. 20 scalpel blade	Agnthos	BB520
No. 21 Scalpel blade	Agnthos	BB521
No. 4 Scalpel handle	Agnthos	10004-13
Saline	Mediq	NA
Salmon knife	Fiskers	NA
Self-retaining retractors	NA	NA
Superglue	NA	NA
Surgical curved scissors	NA	NA
Surgical forceps	NA	NA
Surgical towel clamps	NA	NA