Rat Spine Dissection
Rat Spine Dissection - Related Videos
02:49
Harvesting DRG from Rat Spine: A Procedure to Extract Dorsal Root Ganglion from the Spine of a Rat Model
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2023
In this video, we demonstrate the extraction of dorsal root ganglion or DRG from a harvested rat spine for downstream applications.
14:11
Imaging Dendritic Spines of Rat Primary Hippocampal Neurons using Structured Illumination Microscopy
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Cited by 10 •
2014
This article describes a working protocol to image dendritic spines from hippocampal neurons in vitro using Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM). Super-resolution microscopy using SIM provides image resolution significantly beyond the light diffraction limit in all three spatial dimensions, allowing the imaging of individual dendritic spines with improved detail.
05:25
Quantification of Dendritic Spines Using Confocal Microscopy Imaging
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2025
Source: Gouder, et. al. Three-dimensional Quantification of Dendritic Spines from Pyramidal Neurons Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. J. Vis. Exp. (2015).This video demonstrates the imaging and analysis of dendritic spines in transduced, immunolabeled pyramidal neurons using confocal microscopy. Background noise is reduced, and dendrites are traced by estimating their diameter and length. Automated spine segmentation involves setting parameters for dendrite and spine dimensions...
05:28
A Mouse Model of Lumbar Spine Instability
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Cited by 14 •
2021
We developed a lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration mouse model by resection of L3–L5 spinous processes along with supra- and inter-spinous ligaments and detachment of paraspinous muscles.
11:48
Analysis of Dendritic Spine Morphology in Cultured CNS Neurons
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Cited by 69 •
2011
Numerous recent studies have identified mutations in synaptic proteins associated with brain pathologies. Primary cultured cortical neurons offer great flexibility in examining the effects of these disease-associated proteins on dendritic spine morphology and motility.
FAQs
Maintaining the natural arrangement of vertebrae, spinal cord, muscles, and connective tissues helps researchers interpret where disease-related changes occur in relation to neighboring structures. This spatial context is especially important when examining tumor growth near the spine or identifying involvement of bone and neural tissues. Preserved relationships also support more meaningful observation and tissue collection.
Researchers should distinguish the vertebral column, spinal cord, surrounding muscles, and connective tissues during examination. Separating these components while retaining their relative positions allows investigators to assess whether observed changes are associated with bone, neural tissue, or structures immediately surrounding the spine. This distinction supports more focused interpretation of tumor involvement and treatment-related effects.
The dissection provides a structured view of spinal tissues at a selected stage of a preclinical disease model. Researchers can examine visible changes and collect relevant tissues for subsequent analysis, helping relate anatomical findings to tumor growth, metastatic involvement, or treatment-related changes. Repeating this assessment across experimental conditions can support evaluation of progression, provided the tissues are handled consistently.
A typical workflow begins by exposing the relevant region, then carefully removing overlying muscles and connective tissues. Investigators next isolate the vertebral column and spinal cord while preserving their anatomical relationships. The exposed structures can then be observed directly, documented, or collected as tissue samples for downstream histology, molecular analysis, or assessment of disease-associated changes.
This approach is useful when a cancer model requires examination of disease near the spine or assessment of metastatic involvement in bone or neural tissues. It also supports evaluation of treatment-related anatomical changes. By linking the exposed anatomy with collected samples, investigators can study both the location of disease-associated changes and their tissue-level or molecular characteristics.
The procedure can provide anatomical observations and tissue samples suitable for histology or molecular analysis. Histology can support examination of tissue-level changes, whereas molecular analysis can provide additional information from collected specimens. Together, these outputs help characterize disease progression, tumor involvement, and treatment-related changes in spinal tissues within preclinical cancer research models.