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Neuroscience JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

A Neonatal Mouse Spinal Cord Compression Injury Model

DOI: 10.3791/53498-v
What you'll learn
  • ✓ Perform dorsal laminectomy and spinal cord compression in neonatal mice
  • ✓ Apply appropriate anesthesia, analgesia, and aseptic surgical technique
  • ✓ Generate reproducible SCI model for studying adaptive plasticity
  • ✓ Assess post-operative wound closure and animal recovery
Protocol

This article describes a method for generating a reproducible spinal cord compression injury (SCI) in the neonatal mouse. The model provides an advantageous platform for studying mechanisms of adaptive plasticity that underlie spontaneous functional recovery.

Difficulty
advanced
Total time
~45–60 min per mouse (surgery + recovery monitoring)
Model organism
Mouse, neonatal (age not specified)
Biosafety
BSL-1

Steps

1
Prepare surgical equipment and workspace

Set up sterile instruments, anesthesia delivery system, heating pad, and surgical workspace according to protocol requirements.

▶ 01:14
2
Administer anesthesia and analgesia

Deliver appropriate anesthetic and analgesic agents to neonatal mouse via approved routes; confirm loss of consciousness and analgesia before proceeding.

▶ 03:52
3
Perform dorsal laminectomy

Carefully remove the dorsal lamina at target spinal segment(s) under magnification, exposing the spinal cord while preserving dura and surrounding tissue.

▶ 08:04
4
Generate spinal cord compression injury

Apply controlled mechanical compression to the exposed spinal cord using calibrated device or forceps to create reproducible injury.

▶ 10:20
5
Close surgical incision with sutures

Suture the skin incision in layers using sterile technique; ensure hemostasis and proper wound closure.

▶ 11:17
6
Document results and post-operative outcomes

Record injury severity, behavioral responses, and recovery observations; monitor animal for complications and validate reproducibility.

▶ 12:05
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