Microglia Response to Taste Nerve Injury Lasts Less Than Two Weeks in Young Rats
Advisor Information
Suzanne Sollars
Location
UNO Criss Library, Room 231
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
3-3-2017 9:30 AM
End Date
3-3-2017 9:45 AM
Abstract
Following taste nerve injury, young rats exhibit permanent alterations both on the tongue and in the brain. In an ongoing effort to understand these effects, our lab has recently shown that brain immune cells, microglia, increase in number in the brainstem following taste nerve damage. However, an important aspect of the microglia response to injury is the timing: how soon following injury do microglia respond, when do they peak, and at what point does the response subside. The time course of the immune response can have a significant influence on taste nerve recovery, with a prolonged neutrophil response resulting in decreased recovery. Understanding the timing of the microglia response following taste nerve injury in young rats is a crucial step in understanding the effects of the injury. To this end, 10-day old rats underwent taste nerve injury, and were sacrificed at 4, 14, 21, or 30 days later. Microglia in the brainstem were stained, counted using a microscope and the software Neurolucida (MBF Bioscience), and compared to controls. While there was a significant increase in microglia density 4 days post injury, by 14 days post the microglia increase was reduced to a trend (p = .055). By 21 days post injury, the microglia increase had returned to control levels. A more thorough understanding of the nature of the period of microglia response in young rats could elucidate a potential mechanism mediating the lasting effects.
Microglia Response to Taste Nerve Injury Lasts Less Than Two Weeks in Young Rats
UNO Criss Library, Room 231
Following taste nerve injury, young rats exhibit permanent alterations both on the tongue and in the brain. In an ongoing effort to understand these effects, our lab has recently shown that brain immune cells, microglia, increase in number in the brainstem following taste nerve damage. However, an important aspect of the microglia response to injury is the timing: how soon following injury do microglia respond, when do they peak, and at what point does the response subside. The time course of the immune response can have a significant influence on taste nerve recovery, with a prolonged neutrophil response resulting in decreased recovery. Understanding the timing of the microglia response following taste nerve injury in young rats is a crucial step in understanding the effects of the injury. To this end, 10-day old rats underwent taste nerve injury, and were sacrificed at 4, 14, 21, or 30 days later. Microglia in the brainstem were stained, counted using a microscope and the software Neurolucida (MBF Bioscience), and compared to controls. While there was a significant increase in microglia density 4 days post injury, by 14 days post the microglia increase was reduced to a trend (p = .055). By 21 days post injury, the microglia increase had returned to control levels. A more thorough understanding of the nature of the period of microglia response in young rats could elucidate a potential mechanism mediating the lasting effects.