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Cisterna Magna Injection in Rats to Study Glymphatic Function

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Book cover Astrocytes

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1938))

Abstract

The recently discovered glymphatic system, which supports brain-wide clearance of metabolic waste, has become the subject of intense research within the past few years. Its nomenclature arose due to its functionally analogous nature to the lymphatic system in combination with glial cells that are part of its anatomical boundaries. The influx of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from perivascular spaces into the brain interstitium acts to clear intraparenchymal solutes. CSF is produced by the choroid plexus and flows from the ventricles to the subarachnoid space via the cisterna magna, and as such the injection of tracer molecules into any one of these spaces could be used for studying CSF movement through the glymphatic system. Of these options, the cisterna magna is most favorable as it offers a route of entry that does not involve craniotomy. Herein we describe the cisterna magna (CM) injection procedure carried out in rats, essential for studying glymphatic influx and efflux dynamics.

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Acknowledgements

The Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation is acknowledged for generous support.

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Author notes

  1. Marta Ramos and Nicholas Burdon Bechet contributed equally to the chapter.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Medical Science and Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Marta Ramos, Nicholas Burdon Bechet, Roberta Battistella & Iben Lundgaard

  2. Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Division of Glial Therapeutics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Chiara Pavan & Anna L. R. Xavier

  3. Center for Basic and Translational Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Maiken Nedergaard

  4. Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA

    Maiken Nedergaard

Authors
  1. Marta Ramos
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  2. Nicholas Burdon Bechet
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  3. Roberta Battistella
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  4. Chiara Pavan
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  5. Anna L. R. Xavier
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  6. Maiken Nedergaard
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  7. Iben Lundgaard
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Iben Lundgaard .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

    Barbara Di Benedetto

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Ramos, M. et al. (2019). Cisterna Magna Injection in Rats to Study Glymphatic Function. In: Di Benedetto, B. (eds) Astrocytes. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1938. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9068-9_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9068-9_7

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-9067-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-9068-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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