Rat models of spinal cord injury: from pathology to potential therapies

A long-standing goal of spinal cord injury research is to develop effective spinal cord repair strategies for the clinic. Rat models of spinal cord injury provide an important mammalian model in which to evaluate treatment strategies and to understand the pathological basis of spinal cord injuries....

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Main Authors: Jacob Kjell, Lars Olson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Company of Biologists 2016-10-01
Series:Disease Models & Mechanisms
Subjects:
Rat
Online Access:http://dmm.biologists.org/content/9/10/1125
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spelling doaj-23aa213c90a942d6973decc572b4353e2020-11-24T21:57:43ZengThe Company of BiologistsDisease Models & Mechanisms1754-84031754-84112016-10-019101125113710.1242/dmm.025833025833Rat models of spinal cord injury: from pathology to potential therapiesJacob Kjell0Lars Olson1 Department of Physiological Genomics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 80336, Germany Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden A long-standing goal of spinal cord injury research is to develop effective spinal cord repair strategies for the clinic. Rat models of spinal cord injury provide an important mammalian model in which to evaluate treatment strategies and to understand the pathological basis of spinal cord injuries. These models have facilitated the development of robust tests for assessing the recovery of locomotor and sensory functions. Rat models have also allowed us to understand how neuronal circuitry changes following spinal cord injury and how recovery could be promoted by enhancing spontaneous regenerative mechanisms and by counteracting intrinsic inhibitory factors. Rat studies have also revealed possible routes to rescuing circuitry and cells in the acute stage of injury. Spatiotemporal and functional studies in these models highlight the therapeutic potential of manipulating inflammation, scarring and myelination. In addition, potential replacement therapies for spinal cord injury, including grafts and bridges, stem primarily from rat studies. Here, we discuss advantages and disadvantages of rat experimental spinal cord injury models and summarize knowledge gained from these models. We also discuss how an emerging understanding of different forms of injury, their pathology and degree of recovery has inspired numerous treatment strategies, some of which have led to clinical trials.http://dmm.biologists.org/content/9/10/1125Clinical trialsRatRegenerationRepairSpinal cord injury
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Jacob Kjell
Lars Olson
spellingShingle Jacob Kjell
Lars Olson
Rat models of spinal cord injury: from pathology to potential therapies
Disease Models & Mechanisms
Clinical trials
Rat
Regeneration
Repair
Spinal cord injury
author_facet Jacob Kjell
Lars Olson
author_sort Jacob Kjell
title Rat models of spinal cord injury: from pathology to potential therapies
title_short Rat models of spinal cord injury: from pathology to potential therapies
title_full Rat models of spinal cord injury: from pathology to potential therapies
title_fullStr Rat models of spinal cord injury: from pathology to potential therapies
title_full_unstemmed Rat models of spinal cord injury: from pathology to potential therapies
title_sort rat models of spinal cord injury: from pathology to potential therapies
publisher The Company of Biologists
series Disease Models & Mechanisms
issn 1754-8403
1754-8411
publishDate 2016-10-01
description A long-standing goal of spinal cord injury research is to develop effective spinal cord repair strategies for the clinic. Rat models of spinal cord injury provide an important mammalian model in which to evaluate treatment strategies and to understand the pathological basis of spinal cord injuries. These models have facilitated the development of robust tests for assessing the recovery of locomotor and sensory functions. Rat models have also allowed us to understand how neuronal circuitry changes following spinal cord injury and how recovery could be promoted by enhancing spontaneous regenerative mechanisms and by counteracting intrinsic inhibitory factors. Rat studies have also revealed possible routes to rescuing circuitry and cells in the acute stage of injury. Spatiotemporal and functional studies in these models highlight the therapeutic potential of manipulating inflammation, scarring and myelination. In addition, potential replacement therapies for spinal cord injury, including grafts and bridges, stem primarily from rat studies. Here, we discuss advantages and disadvantages of rat experimental spinal cord injury models and summarize knowledge gained from these models. We also discuss how an emerging understanding of different forms of injury, their pathology and degree of recovery has inspired numerous treatment strategies, some of which have led to clinical trials.
topic Clinical trials
Rat
Regeneration
Repair
Spinal cord injury
url http://dmm.biologists.org/content/9/10/1125
work_keys_str_mv AT jacobkjell ratmodelsofspinalcordinjuryfrompathologytopotentialtherapies
AT larsolson ratmodelsofspinalcordinjuryfrompathologytopotentialtherapies
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