A morphological and biochemical study on the hemisected rat spinal cord implanted with cultured astrocytes.

Joie Jie Wang.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-132).ABSTRACT --- p.iACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iiiLIST OF TABLE --- p.viiLIST OF FIGURES --- p.viiiLIST OF ABBREVIATIONS --- p.xiiChapter CHAPTER I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1Chapter I.1. --- Fibre tracts of the rat spinal cord --- p.1Chapter I.2. --- Histopathological responses to spinal cord injuries --- p.2Chapter I.3. --- Failure of CNS regeneration --- p.4Intrinsic inability of CNS neurons themselves to regenerate --- p.4Inappropriate synapse without normal functioning --- p.5Progressive necrosis and cystic cavities --- p.5Autoimmune explanation for the failure of regeneration --- p.6Glial scarring --- p.6Absence of Schwann cells in the CNS --- p.7Lack of requisite growth factors --- p.8Chapter I.4. --- The use of transplants --- p.9Transplants of fetal nerve tissues --- p.9Transplants of peripheral nerve tissues --- p.10Transplants of neuroglial cells --- p.11Transplants of central neurons --- p.12Chapter I.5. --- Objectives of the present study --- p.13Chapter CHAPTER II. --- METERIALS AND METHODS --- p.15Chapter II.1. --- Hemisection of rats --- p.15Chapter II.2. --- Preparation of purified cortical astrocytes --- p.15Chapter II.3. --- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) --- p.18Chapter II.4. --- HistologýؤLight microscopy --- p.19Chapter II.5. --- Measurement of volume of scar tissue --- p.19Chapter II.6. --- Immunofluorescence staining --- p.20Chapter II.7. --- Transmission electron microscopy --- p.23Chapter II.8. --- Comparison of expression of various proteins in the spinal cord --- p.24Polyacrylainide gel electrophoresis --- p.24Western blotting --- p.26Chapter CHAPTER III. --- RESULTS --- p.28Chapter III.1. --- Survival of cultured astrocytes --- p.28Chapter III.2. --- Light microscopy --- p.28Hemotoxylin and Eosin staining --- p.28Toluidine Blue staining --- p.30PHAL labelled astrocytes --- p.31Immunofluorescence staining --- p.32N-CAM --- p.32GFAP --- p.33NF --- p.34Chapter III.3. --- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) --- p.35Chapter III.4. --- Determination of the volume of scar tissue --- p.37Chapter III.5. --- Gel electrophoresis --- p.38Chapter III.6. --- Immunoblotting and densitometry --- p.38Chapter CHAPTER IV. --- DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS --- p.115REFERENCES --- p.12