Korean J Anat.  2002 Dec;35(6):463-472.

A TUNEL and Electron Microscopic Study on the Delayed Neuronal Death of Rat CA1 Pyramidal Neurons after MCAO

• Park IS

Abstract

Neurons are very sensitive to various injuries such as ischemia, hypoxia, hypoglycemia, etc. Frequently, the hippocampal CA1 area has been used as a region for studying ischemic delayed neuronal death, which is induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). However, it is still controversial whether the delayed neuronal death is necrotic or apoptotic. In this study, we investigated the neuronal death in hippocampal CA1 areas by TUNEL stain and electron microscopic observation using a rat MCAO and reperfusion model.
RESULTS
1. The TUNEL positive reaction occurred only within the CA1 area ipsilateral to MCAO. 2. In EM images, many features that imply necrosis were found in the CA1 pyramidal neurons ipsilateral to MCAO. These results indicate that both necrotic and apoptotic features coexist in the delayed neuronal death of the hippocampal CA1 area after MCAO.

Keyword

Middle cerebral artery occlusion; Pyramidal neuron; TUNEL; EM

MeSH Terms

Animals
Anoxia
Hypoglycemia
In Situ Nick-End Labeling*
Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery
Ischemia
Necrosis
Neurons*
Rats*
Reperfusion