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Updated: Aug 4, 2026
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Experimental Strategies to Bridge Large Tissue Gaps in the Injured Spinal Cord after Acute and Chronic Lesion
Published on: April 5, 2016
Blood-spinal cord barrier response to transection
Experimental Neurology
|January 1, 1983
Summary
The blood-spinal cord barrier (BSB) integrity is compromised after surgery, with tracers detected in neural tissue. While barrier function recovers within a day, enhanced endothelial cell activity persists for up to seven days.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Physiology
Background:
- The blood-spinal cord barrier (BSB) protects the spinal cord from harmful substances.
- Surgical spinal cord transection can disrupt the BSB's integrity.
- Understanding BSB permeability is crucial for spinal cord injury research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the integrity of the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSB) distal to a surgical transection.
- To investigate the time course of BSB permeability changes after injury.
Main Methods:
- Utilized light and electron microscopy to assess BSB integrity.
- Employed tracers Evans blue albumin (EBA) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to detect leakage.
- Examined endothelial cell transport mechanisms, including pinocytosis and vesicular transport.
Main Results:
- Evans blue albumin (EBA) fluorescence was observed up to 0.45 mm distal to the transection.
- Tracer uptake by neurons and glial cells, and leakage from intrinsic vessels were noted.
- Ultrastructural analysis revealed pinocytosis and vesicular transport in endothelial cells, with limited tight junction leakage.
- BSB selectivity appeared restored after 1 day, with no vesicular transport of HRP.
- Enhanced endothelial pinocytosis persisted for up to 7 days post-injury.
Conclusions:
- Surgical transection causes transient but significant disruption of the blood-spinal cord barrier.
- The BSB demonstrates remarkable recovery of selectivity within 24 hours.
- Persistent alterations in endothelial cell transport mechanisms suggest ongoing cellular responses to injury.
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