The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The effects of anoxia/hypoxia on the spinal cord

The effects of anoxia/hypoxia on the spinal cord
The effects of anoxia/hypoxia on the spinal cord

The histology and ultrastructural morphology of the spinal cord of the hamster Mesocricetus auratus was studied in; (1) in situ perfused fixed material; (2) immersed fixed tissue immediately after dissection; (3) immersed fixed tissue after 5 hours of perfusion with normoxic acsf. The electrophysiology of the spinal cord was also studied to test the viability of the spinal cord; (1) during 5 hours of perfusion in normoxic acsf; (2) spinal cord subjected to 13, 25, and 50 minutes of anoxia. In situ perfused fixed spinal cord showed good cytological preservation at both LM and EM levels. It stained well with a preference for basic dyes and little affinity for acidic dyes. There was an excellent capillary system. Immersed fixed tissue immediately after dissection showed affinity for both basic and acidic dyes with some swelling of the cytoplasmic organelles and the nuclear envelopes. There was a greater swelling of cytoplasmic organelles and nuclear envelopes in the spinal cord fixed after 5 hours in normoxic acsf. Spinal cord in normoxic acsf for 5 hours showed good reflex (DRR-VRR) and spontaneous activity indicating that many cells had normal electrical and synaptic activity. Spinal cord treated to anoxic acsf for 50 minutes showed no DRR-VRR electrical activity but on washing in normoxic acsf, electrical activity returned within 60 minutes. These results indicate that many nerve cells are more resistant to anoxia than had previously been thought, but that the electrical viability and the cytological preservation of neurones in the isolated preparations of the spinal cord might be increased by better dissection/isolation procedures and more complex acsf containing oxygen carriers and antioxidants. Throughout the text I have used the term anoxia to refer to a medium lacking oxygen. I have made reference to other people's work where they have used the term `hypoxia' meaning a medium containing too little oxygen. Normoxia is referred to acsf bubbled with 95% O2 5% CO2.

University of Southampton
Dowlatshahi, Nita
Dowlatshahi, Nita

Dowlatshahi, Nita (1991) The effects of anoxia/hypoxia on the spinal cord. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

The histology and ultrastructural morphology of the spinal cord of the hamster Mesocricetus auratus was studied in; (1) in situ perfused fixed material; (2) immersed fixed tissue immediately after dissection; (3) immersed fixed tissue after 5 hours of perfusion with normoxic acsf. The electrophysiology of the spinal cord was also studied to test the viability of the spinal cord; (1) during 5 hours of perfusion in normoxic acsf; (2) spinal cord subjected to 13, 25, and 50 minutes of anoxia. In situ perfused fixed spinal cord showed good cytological preservation at both LM and EM levels. It stained well with a preference for basic dyes and little affinity for acidic dyes. There was an excellent capillary system. Immersed fixed tissue immediately after dissection showed affinity for both basic and acidic dyes with some swelling of the cytoplasmic organelles and the nuclear envelopes. There was a greater swelling of cytoplasmic organelles and nuclear envelopes in the spinal cord fixed after 5 hours in normoxic acsf. Spinal cord in normoxic acsf for 5 hours showed good reflex (DRR-VRR) and spontaneous activity indicating that many cells had normal electrical and synaptic activity. Spinal cord treated to anoxic acsf for 50 minutes showed no DRR-VRR electrical activity but on washing in normoxic acsf, electrical activity returned within 60 minutes. These results indicate that many nerve cells are more resistant to anoxia than had previously been thought, but that the electrical viability and the cytological preservation of neurones in the isolated preparations of the spinal cord might be increased by better dissection/isolation procedures and more complex acsf containing oxygen carriers and antioxidants. Throughout the text I have used the term anoxia to refer to a medium lacking oxygen. I have made reference to other people's work where they have used the term `hypoxia' meaning a medium containing too little oxygen. Normoxia is referred to acsf bubbled with 95% O2 5% CO2.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 1991

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 461269
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/461269
PURE UUID: f8dfefd2-7b32-4f6c-82c9-9615f388e8fd

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 18:41
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 18:41

Export record

Contributors

Author: Nita Dowlatshahi

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×