Morphological Assessments of Cerebral Vasospasm - Animal Models of Acute Neurological Injuries: Injury and Mechanistic Assessments - page 442

Chapter 34
Morphological Assessments of Cerebral Vasospasm
Hiroki Ohkuma
Abstract
Morphological changes of vasospastic arteries have already been investigated in many studies, and its
details have been clarifi ed. However, morphological assessments are still fundamental and essential in
research of vasospasm, since the degree of vasospasm is usually evaluated by angiography and/or morphol-
ogy. Several attentions should be paid for obtaining constant results with avoiding artifact, and the stan-
dard technique is required. The perfusion fi xation is one of the representative techniques.
Key words: Perfusion fi xation, Light microscopy, Electron microscopy, Paraformaldehyde,
Glutaraldehyde, Phosphate buffer, Cacodylate buffer
1. Introduction
In order to evaluate morphological changes of cerebral arteries in
cerebral vasospasm, the perfusion fi xation is usually essential.
Without perfusion fi xation, even the normal artery can show fold-
ing of vessel wall, which is misunderstood with folding caused by
vasospasm. The necessity of perfusion fi xation is same in both light
microscopy and electron microscopy.
However, in some immunohistochemical staining, fresh frozen
section without perfusion fi xation is suitable for keeping antigen.
In this chapter, the methods of the perfusion fi xation and the
removal of the specimen (brain and cerebral arteries) are focused
and mainly explained.
2. Materials
Reagents for the perfusion fi xation:
(a) Heparin.