Facial nerve axotomy in mice: a model to study motoneuron response to injury

Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE
Deborah N OlmsteadKathryn J Jones

Abstract

The goal of this surgical protocol is to expose the facial nerve, which innervates the facial musculature, at its exit from the stylomastoid foramen and either cut or crush it to induce peripheral nerve injury. Advantages of this surgery are its simplicity, high reproducibility, and the lack of effect on vital functions or mobility from the subsequent facial paralysis, thus resulting in a relatively mild surgical outcome compared to other nerve injury models. A major advantage of using a cranial nerve injury model is that the motoneurons reside in a relatively homogenous population in the facial motor nucleus in the pons, simplifying the study of the motoneuron cell bodies. Because of the symmetrical nature of facial nerve innervation and the lack of crosstalk between the facial motor nuclei, the operation can be performed unilaterally with the unaxotomized side serving as a paired internal control. A variety of analyses can be performed postoperatively to assess the physiologic response, details of which are beyond the scope of this article. For example, recovery of muscle function can serve as a behavioral marker for reinnervation, or the motoneurons can be quantified to measure cell survival. Additionally, the motoneurons ca...Continue Reading

Citations

Feb 21, 2019·Journal of Neurophysiology·Thomas J VajtayDavid J Margolis
Apr 9, 2021·Frontiers in Neuroanatomy·Vlad TereshenkoKonstantin D Bergmeister
Feb 27, 2021·Tissue Engineering. Part B, Reviews·Fuat Baris BengurKacey G Marra
Aug 8, 2021·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Tomohiko ShirakawaShoichiro Kokabu

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