BackgroundNeuroprotective strategies to prevent or decrease brain injury in hypoxic ischemic newborns are one of the main research lines in neonatology. Animal models have been used to assess the efficiency of new therapeutic strategies. Brain damage biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are frequently used to evaluate the outcome at the bedside. Despite the importance of this approach in clinical practice, there are many difficulties in using it in small animals. The aim of this paper was to describe a new technique for collecting CSF in rat pups. Furthermore the reference values of S100β protein levels, commonly used in common clinical practice, were analyzed in animals between 7 to 12 days.Methods42 Wistar rat pups aged 7 to 12 days were used. CSF was obtained by direct puncture of the cisterna magna with a 24-gauge needle. S100β protein levels were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsCSF was successfully obtained in 96% of the cases, with an average amount of 21.28 μl (5...
展开▼
