Detangling the spinal respiratory network’s response to external electrical stimulus in a model of spinal cord injury
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PI name: Dr. Erica Dale
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Graduate student mentor: Alyssa Mickle
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Institution and department: Physiology and Aging
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Amount of time you have been affiliated with the project: May 2024 - present
Background
In this study, our lab is investigating how the spinal cord responds to stimulation using a hemisection model to identify interactions between neural networks. We used three models: hemisected rats, intact rats, and transected rats, and applied various stimulation paradigms to observe each model's response. The surgeries were performed by a graduate student in our lab, Alyssa Mickle.
My role in this project
My role in this project involves using a cryostat to section through the C2 injury site to measure the lesion size. This step is crucial because it ensures that the injuries are comparable across all rat models, which is essential for the accuracy of our data. After sectioning the tissue, I performed cresyl violet staining to identify neural structures and assess which parts of the C2 spinal cord remain intact or are damaged. I then imaged the slides using a Leria Microscope in brightfield mode. Initially, I captured an image of the whole slide, and then I selected the section with the most significant injury for detailed imaging. Finally, I used an automated pipeline in our lab to precisely measure the injury.
Future Direction
Tissue is still being generated, so this semester, I will continue sectioning tissue. Once all sections are complete, I will create a figure for a paper to be submitted to a journal by the end of 2024, aiming for authorship.
Images
AO19 C2 full slide
AO19 C2 40x