An analysis of the progression of cell responses induced by focal middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats

Objective To investigate the progression temporal and spatial changes of astrocytes and neurons in the focal middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. Methods 48 healthy male Wistar rats were divided into sham-operation group and cerebral ischemic groups of different ischemic time. The rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion with intraluminal filament occlusion. Histological and immunohistochemistry assays were applied respectively to evaluate cell responses. We used an immunocytochemical marker,GFAP to detect the circumference and integral spectrophotometric quantity of astrocytes at different time. Results Astrocytes was more sensitive than neurons to cerebral ischemia injury. Proliferation and hypertrophy of astrocytes or reactive astrocytes around the core and contralateral hemisphere were much greater. Neurons damage were lessen in reactive astrocytes aera. Conclusion Reactive astrocyte proliferation does have protective effects and repair the damage in cerebral ischemic in rats.