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Retrograde Axonal Tract Tracing

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Animal Models of Acute Neurological Injuries II

Part of the book series: Springer Protocols Handbooks ((SPH))

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Abstract

Deficits in sensory and motor function after spinal cord injury are attributable primarily to the interruption of long sensory and motor axonal tracts in the spinal cord. Different spinal cord tracts display different vulnerability to the injury, capability to regenerate, and contribution to functional recovery. Due to the complexity of the central nervous system (CNS) tracts, it is worthwhile to exploit how to exquisitely label them within the spinal cord and examine their connections to the brain or periphery. Retrograde axonal tract tracing technologies are powerful tools for identifying axonal connections in the normal or injured spinal cord. With appropriate injury models and retrograde tracing techniques to transport tracers from axon terminal to the soma, neuronal origin of targeted axons can be determined. After tracing, tissue is collected following appropriate survival time. To detect tracers inside the neuronal soma, nucleus, and corresponding dendrites, various labeling techniques are used which include direct fluorescence, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and autoradiography. When combined with anterograde tracing techniques, retrograde tracers may be used to establish anatomical reorganizations of neural networks. When combined with immunohistochemistry, retrograde tracing may be used for neurochemical characterization of specific neuronal pathways or specific cell types.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Departments of Neurological Surgery, & Anatomy and Cell Biology, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Lingxiao Deng

  2. Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Xiaofei Wang, Chandler L. Walker & Yiwen Ruan

  3. Departments of Neurological Surgery and Anatomy & Cell Biology, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Xiao-Ming Xu

Authors
  1. Lingxiao Deng
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  2. Xiaofei Wang
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  3. Chandler L. Walker
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  4. Yiwen Ruan
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  5. Xiao-Ming Xu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiao-Ming Xu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Terrace St. 3500, Pittsburgh, 15213, Pennsylvania, USA

    Jun Chen

  2. School of Medicine, Stark Neurosciences Res. Inst., Indiana University, W. Walnut St. 950, Indianapolis, 46202, Indiana, USA

    Xiao-Ming Xu

  3. School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Indiana University, Barnhill Dr. 635, Indianapolis, 46202, Indiana, USA

    Zao C. Xu

  4. School of Medicine, Dept. Neurosurgery, Loma Linda University, Anderson St. 11234, Loma Linda, 92354, California, USA

    John H. Zhang

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Deng, L., Wang, X., Walker, C.L., Ruan, Y., Xu, XM. (2012). Retrograde Axonal Tract Tracing. In: Chen, J., Xu, XM., Xu, Z., Zhang, J. (eds) Animal Models of Acute Neurological Injuries II. Springer Protocols Handbooks. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-782-8_38

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-782-8_38

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-781-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-782-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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