Brain Edema Measurement Service in Animal Models of Stroke

Brain edema, the perifocal edema that tightly surrounds a hematoma focus, is a major cause of poor prognosis in many neurological disorders (e.g., hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, and brain tumors). In animal models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), the most popular technique for measuring brain edema is drying or calculating hemispheric volume. Cerebral edema measurements are routinely used to determine the extent of neurologic injury in MCAO models.

Fig. 1. Storax decreases infarction size and brain water content at 24 h after stroke. (Zhou et al., 2022)

Our Brain Edema Measurement Service in Animal Models of Stroke

Ace Therapeutics provides a range of methods to accurately quantify brain edema in animal stroke models.

Dry/wet weight measurement

Immediately after the successful construction of the stroke model, the brain is removed and divided into contralateral and ipsilateral hemispheres. Tissue samples were weighed on an electronic analytical balance to the nearest 0.1 mg to obtain wet weights. The tissue was then dried at 90-100°C for 24 hours to determine the dry weight. Percent brain water content reflects changes in absolute brain water content and brain swelling.

Brain water content (%) = (Wet weight - Dry weight) / Wet weight × 100

Calculation of hemispheric volume

We scanned the right cerebral hemisphere of the stroke animals using a post-optical scanner and calculated the volume of both hemispheres based on the sum of the coronal section areas in arbitrary units (pixels). Brain edema was expressed as a percentage of the normal area of the contralateral unaffected hemisphere. The degree of swelling was calculated using Kaplan's method:

Degree of edema = (Right hemisphere volume - Left hemisphere volume) / Left hemisphere volume

Neuroimaging techniques

We are developing advanced neuroimaging tools via computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to accurately measure a variety of parameters associated with cerebral edema, including water content, tissue swelling, and midline shift.

Applications of Brain Edema Measurement in Animal Models of Stroke

• Determine the extent of neurologic injury
• Study the cellular and molecular processes involved in the development of edema during stroke, including cytotoxic, ionic, and vasogenic edema pathways
• Evaluate the impact of stroke medications or treatment strategies on edema resolution and neurologic outcomes

Why Choose Us

• High precision and accuracy. We use rigorous analytical methods to measure brain edema parameters.
• Customized experimental design. We work closely with researchers to design customized experimental protocols based on their specific research goals and requirements.
• Timely and cost-effective solutions. Our streamlined workflows and efficient data analysis pipelines ensure fast turnaround times without compromising data quality.

Ace Therapeutics's brain edema measurement service is widely used to assess the extent of brain edema and quantify edema volume in animal stroke models, providing a comprehensive solution for stroke research. If you are interested in our services, please do not hesitate to contact us!

1. Zhou, M., et al. (2022). Storax Inhibits Caveolae-Mediated Transcytosis at Blood-Brain Barrier After Ischemic Stroke in Rats. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, 876235.