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Updated: Sep 27, 2026
Intraluminal Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) Model for Ischemic Stroke with Laser Doppler Flowmetry Guidance in Mice
Published on: May 8, 2011
[Light transmission measurement of focal ischemic cerebral infarction in mice]
Yue-Ping Yu1, Qiu-Qin Xu, Ming-Zhi Zheng
1College of Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310031, China.
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of light transmission to measure focal cerebral ischemia in mice. METHODS: Persistent focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artey occlusion (MCAO) in mice. The brain were removed 24 h after MCAO and coronally dissected into 1 mm sections. Using a stereomicroscope, the brain section was illuminated with a halogen lamp and computerized images were stored. Next the brain sections were stained for 30 minutes with 0.5% TTC (2, 3, 5-triphenylterzolim chloride) at 37 degrees C. Using an image analyzer (AnalyPower 1.0), the infarct volumes obtained by light transmittance and TTC staining were calculated. Integrated gray scales of sections of both hemispheres were calculated by Photoshop 5.0. RESULTS: A close correlation existed between cerebral infarct volume measured by light transmission and TTC staining (r=0.81). The mean gray scales measured by both techniques of the ischemic hemispheres as well as those of the cortex, subcortex and hippocampus were siginificantly higher than those of non-ischemic hemispheres and of control mouse hemispheres (P <0.001). Further there were no significant difference between the two hemispheres of control mice and between hemispheres of control mice and non-ischemic hemispheres of the MCAO mice. CONCLUSION: Light transmission can be used for qualitative analysis of focal cerebral ischemia.
Insights
Light transmission offers a feasible method for qualitatively assessing focal cerebral ischemia in mice. This technique shows a strong correlation with traditional TTC staining for measuring infarct volumes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Focal cerebral ischemia is a critical condition requiring accurate measurement.
- Traditional methods like TTC staining are effective but can be labor-intensive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of using light transmission as a method for measuring focal cerebral ischemia in mice.
- To compare the efficacy of light transmission with TTC staining in quantifying infarct volume.
Main Methods:
- Focal cerebral ischemia was induced in mice via middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).
- Brain sections were analyzed using light transmission and subsequently stained with TTC for comparison.
- Image analysis software was employed to calculate infarct volumes and gray scales.
Main Results:
- A significant correlation (r=0.81) was observed between infarct volumes measured by light transmission and TTC staining.
- Ischemic hemispheres showed significantly higher gray scales than non-ischemic hemispheres across different brain regions (P <0.001).
- No significant differences were found between control hemispheres or between control and non-ischemic MCAO hemispheres.
Conclusions:
- Light transmission is a feasible and reliable method for the qualitative analysis of focal cerebral ischemia in mice.
- This technique provides a valuable alternative or complementary approach to existing methods for ischemia assessment.
