Research report
Histological and temporal characteristics of nigral transneuronal degeneration after striatal injury

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Abstract

Neurotoxic injury of the caudate-putamen and lateral globus pallidus unilaterally initiated transneuronal degeneration of neurons in the ipsilateral substantia nigra reticulata (SNR). Quantification of SNR neurons using unbiased stereology demonstrated that neuron loss began 4 days after the initial striatal lesion, followed by significant loss (50%) at 6 days and a plateau at 8 days. Analysis at the light and ultrastructural levels revealed morphological changes consistent with a type of programmed cell death. These temporal and histological results refine an in vivo model in which to explore mechanisms of delayed neuronal degeneration.

Keywords

Transneuronal degeneration
Basal ganglia
Excitotoxicity
Substantia nigra reticulata
Programmed cell death

Abbreviations

CP, caudate-putamen
GP, globus pallidus
SNR, substantia nigra reticulata
GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein
PB, phosphate buffer
PBS, phosphate buffer saline
BSA, bovine serum albumen
DAB, diaminobenzidine
ANOVA, analysis of variance

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