The Journal of Neuroscience, January 1, 1998, 18(1):205-213
Figure 5. Histological analysis after 24hr of MCA occlusion. A, Photomicrograph showing the histological changes after 24hr of MCA occlusion in wild-type (Wt) and knock-out mutant mice (Sod2 /+). The infarct area was localized in the caudoputamen and MCA territory cortex in both mice groups. However, cortical infarction extended to the boundary zone of the anterior cerebral artery territory, and brain swelling was extremely severe in the knock-out mutant mice. Also shown are infarct volume (B) and hemisphere enlargement (C) in wild-type and knock-out mutant mice at 24hr ischemia. Values are mean±SE; **p<0.01and ***p<0.001,Student's t test. Cerebral infarction and hemisphere enlargement were significantly more severe in knock-out than in wild-type mice. Scale bar, 1 mm.
J. Clin. Invest. 118(1): 133-148 (2007).
Measurement of the infarct size using MRI. MRI was performed on rats under anesthesia in a General Electric imaging system (R4; GE) at 3.0 T. Brains were scanned in 6–8 coronal image slices, each 2 mm thick without any gaps. T2-weighted imaging pulse sequences were obtained with the use of a spin-echo technique (repetition time, 4,000 ms; echo time, 105 ms) and were captured sequentially for each animal at 1, 7, and 28 days after cerebral ischemia. To measure the infarction area in the right cortex, we subtracted the noninfarcted area in the right cortex from the total cortical area of the left hemisphere. The area of infarct was drawn manually from slice to slice, and the volume was then calculated by internal volume analysis software (Voxtool; GE).
J. Clin. Invest. 118(1): 133-148 (2007).
18FDG-PET examination. To assess the metabolic activity and synaptic density of brain tissue, experimental rats were examined using microPET scanning of 18FDG to measure relative metabolic activity as previously described (57). In brief, 18F was produced by the 18O(p, n)18F nuclear reaction in a cyclotron at Tzu-Chi General Hospital and Tzu-Chi University, and 18FDG was synthesized as previously described (58) with an automated 18FDG synthesis system (Nihonkokan). Data were collected with high-resolution small-animal PET (microPET Rodent R4; Concorde Microsystems Inc.). The system parameters were described by Visnyei et al. (57). After 1 week of each treatment, animals anesthetized with chloral hydrate (0.4 g/kg i.p.) were fixed in a customized stereotactic head holder and positioned in the microPET scanner. The animals were then given an i.v. bolus injection of 18FDG (200–250 μCi/rat) dissolved in 0.5 ml saline. Data acquisition began simultaneously with injections and continued for 60 minutes in 1 bed position using a 3D acquisition protocol. The image data acquired from microPET were displayed and analyzed by IDL version 5.5 (Research Systems) and ASIPro version 3.2 (Concorde Microsystems) software. Coronal sections for striatal and cortical measurements represented brain areas between 0 and +1 mm from the bregma, while those for thalamic measurements represented areas between –2 and –3 mm from the bregma, as estimated by visual inspection of the unlesioned side. The relative metabolic activity in regions of interest of the striatum and cortex was expressed as percentage deficit, as previously described with modification (57).
