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Animal model of spinal cord injury

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Spinal cord injury

Introduction to Animal Models of Spinal Cord Injury

Animal models of spinal cord injury (SCI) are classic experimental paradigms that mimic human spinal cord structural damage and functional impairment through mechanical or surgical means. Common modeling approaches include compression injury, contusion (such as the impactor model), and transection. At their core, these models involve applying controlled external forces to a specific spinal segment or disrupting structural integrity, thereby causing disruption of neural conduction, local hemorrhage, edema, and secondary inflammatory responses. Following model establishment, animals typically exhibit varying degrees of motor dysfunction, sensory deficits, and abnormal reflexes, accompanied by hallmark pathological changes such as neuronal death, axonal degeneration, and glial scar formation. These models are widely employed in studies of neural regeneration mechanisms and in the evaluation of therapeutics aimed at functional recovery.

Advantages of Aniphe Biolaboratory's SCI Animal Model Platform Services

Aniphe Biolaboratory spinal cord injury (SCI) animal model platform, centered on controllable injury grading and the ability to stably reconstruct neurological deficits, provides a reliable in vivo evaluation system for the development of drugs aimed at neural regeneration and functional recovery.

	Multi‑type modeling approaches have been refined. It encompasses mainstream SCI models, including contusion (impact), compression, and transection, covering a range of injury mechanisms and severities.
	The severity of the injury can be graded and controlled. The severity of the injury can be precisely modulated by adjusting the impact force, duration of compression, or extent of tissue transection, thereby enabling the establishment of mild, moderate, and severe injury models.
	The model exhibits high reproducibility. Standardized operating procedures reduce inter‑individual variability and ensure consistency between motor deficits and pathological lesions.
	Supports multi‑time‑window studies It covers the acute injury phase, the subacute repair phase, and the chronic recovery phase, enabling the evaluation of different intervention strategies.
	Multidimensional Functional Evaluation System By integrating behavioral scoring, imaging assessments, and histological analyses, a systematic evaluation of neurological functional recovery is achieved.

Modeling cycle	1 day
Laboratory animals	SD rats and Wistar rats
Positive drug	Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) / Methylprednisolone sodium succinate / Cyclic adenosine monophosphate / Tacrolimus
Application areas	Pathological progression: Simulating various types of injury, including contusion, compression, and transection, to reproduce processes such as disruption of the blood–spinal cord barrier and axonal degeneration. Cellular interactions: Employing transgenic models to investigate the dynamic roles of microglia, astrocytes (e.g., A1/A2 subtypes), and other cell types in inflammation and tissue repair. Genomic profiling: High-resolution molecular maps of injury and repair are generated through single-cell/single-nucleus sequencing (e.g., RNA-seq, ATAC-seq), revealing key gene regulatory switches.

Experimental results

Construction of SCI Animal Models

Establishing a spinal cord injury model using the Allen weight-drop method.

Source of the method:

Weight-drop/Allen's method: Sobolev, V.E.; Sysoev, Y.I.; Vyunova, T.V.; Musienko, P.E. Animal Models of Spinal Cord Injury. Biomedicines 2025, 13, 1427.

Schematic diagram of model construction

BBB rating

In the control group, the rats exhibited normal hindlimb motor function, with a BBB score of 21. In the spinal cord injury model at day 1, the hindlimbs were completely paralyzed, with only occasional, minimal joint movements observed, resulting in a score close to 0–2.

Grouping	Rat foot number	Rat Number	BBB Rating	Description of hind limb locomotion (Refer to the scoring criteria)	Whether the model meets the standards (Rating ≤ 5)
1 day after model establishment group	19	A109	1	Slight movement of one or two joints	is
	20	A174	0	No visible hindlimb movement.	is
	21	A167	0	No visible hindlimb movement.	is
1 day after model establishment group	22	299	0	No visible hindlimb movement.	is
	23	298	1	Slight movement of one or two joints	is
	24	300	0	No visible hindlimb movement.	is

Validation of Behavioral Gait Analysis

In the control group, gait was regular and symmetrical, with stable stride length and swing time. In the model group at day 1, the hind limbs exhibited complete trailing, and no effective gait cycle was observed.

Immunofluorescence assay

In the control group, the spinal cord architecture was intact, with evenly distributed neurons (NeuN⁺), quiescent astrocytes (GFAP⁺), and ramified microglia (Iba1⁺). In the model group at day 1, a substantial loss of neurons was observed at the injury site, accompanied by dense infiltration of round Iba1⁺ macrophages and reactive astrocyte proliferation (GFAP⁺) in the surrounding area.

Positive drug data

The effects and mechanisms of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) as a positive control in the treatment of spinal cord injury can be found in the following reference: “Mechanistic Study of EGCG in Attenuating Spinal Cord Edema Following Spinal Cord Injury in Rats.”

This study focuses on EGCG, investigating its protective effects and underlying mechanisms against spinal cord edema following spinal cord injury in rats. The findings indicate that EGCG mitigates blood–spinal cord barrier disruption and tissue edema by attenuating oxidative stress, suppressing inflammatory responses, and modulating the expression of aquaporins, such as AQP4. Comprehensive assessments were conducted using hematoxylin–eosin staining, wet–dry weight measurements, Evans blue extravasation assays, and analyses of relevant protein markers. The results demonstrate that EGCG significantly reduces spinal cord water content and the extent of inflammatory damage, suggesting a clear therapeutic benefit in alleviating post‑injury edema.

Summary of Experience

01 Fine Exposure: Carefully incise the skin along the posterior midline, and bluntly dissect the paraspinal muscles, taking care to avoid injury to the deep muscles and blood vessels.

02 Laminectomy: The procedure must be performed with extreme gentleness to avoid direct compression or injury to the underlying spinal cord. All bone fragments must be thoroughly removed to prevent impaction into the spinal cord and subsequent inflammation.

03 Contusion models (e.g., Allen’s method): Ensure that the impact rod falls vertically to avoid lateral deviation, and verify that there are no bony obstructions beneath the point of impact. After the impact, allow the striker to remain in place for approximately 3 minutes to ensure adequate tissue injury.

04 Cross-section/Semi-section Model: The procedure must be performed precisely under a microscope, with utmost care and gentleness. Use a microknife or an iridectomy knife to make incisions at the designated sites according to the experimental design, ensuring complete tissue disruption. During the surgery, take precautions to protect critical vessels, such as the posterior median spinal vein.

05 Hemostasis and Closure: Slight bleeding is common in the operative area; it is recommended to apply gentle pressure with a sterile cotton swab or a gelatin sponge to achieve hemostasis. After completing the procedure, irrigate the wound with saline, then proceed with layered closure of the muscle and skin.