【Animal Modeling】-Comparative study of photochemical method and suture method to make focal cerebral infarction rat model

  Objective To investigate the photochemical method and suture method for two different animal models of focal cerebral infarction, and to analyze the correlation between the infarct volume and behavior of experimental animals caused by different modeling methods by adjusting different experimental parameters.

  Methods Sixty-four male SD rats of 300-330 g were randomly divided into sham operation group, photochemical group and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) group by suture method. The neurological function of the rats was scored 24 hours after operation. and behavioral tests, and then anesthetized and sacrificed brain tissue for 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazole chloride (2,3,5-triphenyltetrazole chloride, TTC) staining to evaluate the volume of rat cerebral infarction.

  Results SD rats in the photochemical group and MCAO group had infarcts of different sizes in the brain tissue. The ischemic parts of MCAO model involved most of the cortex, striatum, thalamus, hippocampus and subventricular zone of the hemibrain. The neurological function score and balance beam test score had a good correlation with the infarct volume. The infarct focus in the photochemical model was in the cerebral cortex; the abnormal neurobehavior had a good correlation with the cortical infarct location, but had a relatively poor correlation with the infarct volume.

  Conclusions After the MCAO model was established by suture method, it was observed that the animal behavioral score was closely related to the volume of cerebral infarction. The photochemical method produced specific lesions and specific behavioral changes, and the behavioral results had a poor correlation with the infarct volume.