The transplantation of embryonic stem cells can effectively improve the creeping strength of nerves near an injury site in animals. Amniotic epithelial cells have similar biological properties as em-bryonic stem cells...The transplantation of embryonic stem cells can effectively improve the creeping strength of nerves near an injury site in animals. Amniotic epithelial cells have similar biological properties as em-bryonic stem cells; therefore, we hypothesized that transplantation of amniotic epithelial cells can repair peripheral nerve injury and recover the creeping strength of the brachial plexus nerve. In the present study, a brachial plexus injury model was established in rabbits using the C6root avulsion method. A suspension of human amniotic epithelial cells was repeatedly injected over an area 4.0 mm lateral to the cephal and caudal ends of the C6 brachial plexus injury site （1 × 106 cells/mL, 3μL/injection, 25 injections） immediately after the injury. The results showed that the decrease in stress and increase in strain at 7,200 seconds in the injured rabbit C6 brachial plexus nerve were mitigated by the cell transplantation, restoring the viscoelastic stress relaxation and creep properties of the brachial plexus nerve. The forepaw functions were also signiifcantly improved at 26 weeks after injury. These data indicate that transplantation of human amniotic epithelial cells can effec-tively restore the mechanical properties of the brachial plexus nerve after injury in rabbits and that viscoelasticity may be an important index for the evaluation of brachial plexus injury in animals.展开更多
A brachial plexus injury model was established in rabbits by stretching the C6 nerve root. Imme- diately after the stretching, a suspension of human amniotic epithelial cells was injected into the injured brachial ple...A brachial plexus injury model was established in rabbits by stretching the C6 nerve root. Imme- diately after the stretching, a suspension of human amniotic epithelial cells was injected into the injured brachial plexus. The results of tensile mechanical testing of the brachial plexus showed that the tensile elastic limit strain, elastic limit stress, maximum stress, and maximum strain of the injured brachial plexuses were significantly increased at 24 weeks after the injection. The treatment clearly improved the pathological morphology of the injured brachial plexus nerve, as seen by hematoxylin eosin staining, and the functions of the rabbit forepaw were restored. These data indicate that the injection of human amniotic epithelial cells contributed to the repair of brachial plexus injury, and that this technique may transform into current clinical treatment strategies.展开更多
We present a catheter-based optical diffusion and fluorescence(ODF)probe to study the functional changes of the brain in vivo.This ODF probe enables the simultaneous detection ofthe multi-wavelength absorbance and fl...We present a catheter-based optical diffusion and fluorescence(ODF)probe to study the functional changes of the brain in vivo.This ODF probe enables the simultaneous detection ofthe multi-wavelength absorbance and fluorescence emission from the living rat brain.Our previous studies,including a transient stroke experiment of the rat brain as well as the brainresponse to cocaine,have established the feasibility of simultaneously determining changes incerebral blood volume(CBV),tissue oxygenation(StO2)and intracellular calcium([Ca^(2+)]i,using the fluorescence indicator Rhod2).Here,we present our preliminary results of somatosensory response to electrical forepaw stimulation obtained from the rat cortical brain by using theODF probe,which indicate that the probe could track brain activation by directly detecting[Ca^(2+)]i along with separately distinguishing CBV and StO2 in real time.The changes of CBV,StO2 and[Ca^(2+)]i are comparable with the blood-oxygen-level-dependent(BOLD)response tothe stimulation obtained using functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI).However,thehigh temporal resolution of the optical methodology is advanced,thus providing a new modalityfor brain functional studies to understand the hemodynamic changes that underlie the neuronalactivity.展开更多
基金financially supported by grants from the Science and Technology Development Plan Program of Jilin Province of China,No.20110492
文摘The transplantation of embryonic stem cells can effectively improve the creeping strength of nerves near an injury site in animals. Amniotic epithelial cells have similar biological properties as em-bryonic stem cells; therefore, we hypothesized that transplantation of amniotic epithelial cells can repair peripheral nerve injury and recover the creeping strength of the brachial plexus nerve. In the present study, a brachial plexus injury model was established in rabbits using the C6root avulsion method. A suspension of human amniotic epithelial cells was repeatedly injected over an area 4.0 mm lateral to the cephal and caudal ends of the C6 brachial plexus injury site （1 × 106 cells/mL, 3μL/injection, 25 injections） immediately after the injury. The results showed that the decrease in stress and increase in strain at 7,200 seconds in the injured rabbit C6 brachial plexus nerve were mitigated by the cell transplantation, restoring the viscoelastic stress relaxation and creep properties of the brachial plexus nerve. The forepaw functions were also signiifcantly improved at 26 weeks after injury. These data indicate that transplantation of human amniotic epithelial cells can effec-tively restore the mechanical properties of the brachial plexus nerve after injury in rabbits and that viscoelasticity may be an important index for the evaluation of brachial plexus injury in animals.
基金financially supported by a grant from the Science and Technology Development Project of Jilin Province of China,No.20110492
文摘A brachial plexus injury model was established in rabbits by stretching the C6 nerve root. Imme- diately after the stretching, a suspension of human amniotic epithelial cells was injected into the injured brachial plexus. The results of tensile mechanical testing of the brachial plexus showed that the tensile elastic limit strain, elastic limit stress, maximum stress, and maximum strain of the injured brachial plexuses were significantly increased at 24 weeks after the injection. The treatment clearly improved the pathological morphology of the injured brachial plexus nerve, as seen by hematoxylin eosin staining, and the functions of the rabbit forepaw were restored. These data indicate that the injection of human amniotic epithelial cells contributed to the repair of brachial plexus injury, and that this technique may transform into current clinical treatment strategies.
基金NIH Grants K25-DA021200,Laboratory Directed Research Development(LDRD)Grant(04-066)of Brook-haven National Laboratory,and by Department of Energy Office of Science and Biological Research.
文摘We present a catheter-based optical diffusion and fluorescence(ODF)probe to study the functional changes of the brain in vivo.This ODF probe enables the simultaneous detection ofthe multi-wavelength absorbance and fluorescence emission from the living rat brain.Our previous studies,including a transient stroke experiment of the rat brain as well as the brainresponse to cocaine,have established the feasibility of simultaneously determining changes incerebral blood volume(CBV),tissue oxygenation(StO2)and intracellular calcium([Ca^(2+)]i,using the fluorescence indicator Rhod2).Here,we present our preliminary results of somatosensory response to electrical forepaw stimulation obtained from the rat cortical brain by using theODF probe,which indicate that the probe could track brain activation by directly detecting[Ca^(2+)]i along with separately distinguishing CBV and StO2 in real time.The changes of CBV,StO2 and[Ca^(2+)]i are comparable with the blood-oxygen-level-dependent(BOLD)response tothe stimulation obtained using functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI).However,thehigh temporal resolution of the optical methodology is advanced,thus providing a new modalityfor brain functional studies to understand the hemodynamic changes that underlie the neuronalactivity.
