JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments
Neuroscience
0 views • 3:58 min • August 7th, 2025
Take an anesthetized rat with exposed vertebrae, with the spinous processes and laminae excised from thoracic levels T7 to T9.
Cut the dorsal and ventral roots above and below T8.
Apply saline to help stop bleeding and remove the liquid using a sponge.
Transect the spinal cord between T8 and T9 to sever nerve fibers.
Place compressed foam in the gap and apply saline.
Once the bleeding stops, remove the foam and clear residual fluid.
Slide a pre-prepared piezoelectric polymer conduit, with windows open, over the rostral spinal cord stump.
Insert the caudal stump into the conduit’s opposite end.
Inject Schwann cells, suspended in an injectable matrix, through the conduit windows.
Close the windows securely.
Schwann cells populate the conduit and secrete neurotrophic factors that support axon growth.
The conduit provides structural guidance, while its piezoelectric properties generate bioelectric cues for neurite outgrowth.
Gradually, axons regenerate across the bridge, restoring continuity between the stumps.
When all of the laminae have been removed, confirm that the gaps between the transverse processes are visible, especially at T8, and examine the bones along both sides between T7 and T9 to
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