Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
Establishing a Mouse Contusion Spinal Cord Injury Model Based on a Minimally Invasive Technique
Published on: September 7, 2022
Temporal and spatial pattern of RhoA expression in injured spinal cord of adult mice
Xiaoning Kang1, Jingkun Wen, Xianghai Wang
1Department of Histology and Embryology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. kxnwccg@126.com
Objective:
To quantitatively analyze the temporal and spatial pattern of RhoA expression in injured spinal cord of adult mice.
Methods:
A spinal cord transection model was established in adult mice. At 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 112 days after the surgery, the spinal cords were dissected and cryosectioned for RhoA/NF200, RhoA/GFAP, RhoA/CNPase or RhoA/IBA1 double fluorescent immunohistochemistry to visualize RhoA expressions in the neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia. The percentages as well as the immunostaining intensities of RhoA-positive cells in the parenchymal cells were quantitatively analyzed.
Results:
RhoA was weakly expressed in a few neurons and oligodendrocytes in normal spinal cord. After spinal cord injury, the percentage of RhoA-positive cells and RhoA expression intensity in the spinal cord increased and peaked at 7 days post injury (dpi) in neurons, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, followed by a gradual decrease till reaching a low level at 112 dpi. In the microglia, both the RhoA-positive cells and RhoA expression intensity reached the maximum at 14 dpi and maintained a high level till 112 dpi.
Conclusion:
Traumatic spinal cord injury can upregulate RhoA expression in the neurons as well as all the glial cells in the spinal cord. RhoA expression patterns vary with post-injury time, location and among different parenchymal cells in the injured spinal cord.
Insights
Spinal cord injury in mice increases RhoA expression in neurons and glial cells, with distinct temporal patterns observed across cell types post-trauma.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- RhoA signaling plays a critical role in cellular processes like actin dynamics and cell migration.
- Understanding RhoA expression dynamics post-spinal cord injury (SCI) is crucial for developing therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively analyze the temporal and spatial expression patterns of RhoA in adult mouse spinal cords following injury.
- To investigate RhoA expression in neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia after SCI.
Main Methods:
- Establishment of a spinal cord transection model in adult mice.
- Double fluorescent immunohistochemistry for RhoA in conjunction with cell-specific markers (NF200, GFAP, CNPase, IBA1).
- Quantitative analysis of RhoA-positive cell percentages and expression intensities at multiple time points post-injury (1-112 days).
Main Results:
- RhoA expression is upregulated in neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, peaking at 7 days post-injury (dpi) and declining thereafter.
- Microglia show increased RhoA expression peaking at 14 dpi and remaining elevated up to 112 dpi.
- Baseline RhoA expression in normal spinal cords is low, primarily in neurons and oligodendrocytes.
Conclusions:
- Traumatic SCI significantly upregulates RhoA expression in both neuronal and glial cell populations.
- RhoA expression patterns exhibit distinct temporal dynamics and cell-type specificity following spinal cord injury.
