Refining rodent models of spinal cord injury

Elliot Lilley; Melissa R Andrews; Elizabeth J Bradbury; Heather Elliott; Penny Hawkins; Ronaldo M Ichiyama; Jo Keeley; Adina T Michael-Titus; Lawrence D F Moon; Stefano Pluchino; John Riddell; Kathy Ryder; Ping K Yip

doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113273

Refining rodent models of spinal cord injury

Exp Neurol. 2020 Jun:328:113273. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113273. Epub 2020 Mar 3.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Research Animals Department, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS, UK. Electronic address: elliot.lilley@rspca.org.uk.
² Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, 3059, Life Sciences Bldg 85, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK. Electronic address: M.R.Andrews@soton.ac.uk.
³ King's College London, Regeneration Group, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK. Electronic address: elizabeth.bradbury@kcl.ac.uk.
⁴ Animals in Scientific Research Unit, 14th Floor, Lunar House, 40 Wellesley Road, Croydon CR9 2BY, UK. Electronic address: Heather.Elliott@homeoffice.gov.uk.
⁵ Research Animals Department, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS, UK. Electronic address: penny.hawkins@rspca.org.uk.
⁶ School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, UK. Electronic address: R.M.Ichiyama@leeds.ac.uk.
⁷ University Biomedical Services, University of Cambridge, Greenwich House, Madingley Rise, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0TX, UK. Electronic address: Jo.keeley@admin.cam.ac.uk.
⁸ Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, 4 Newark St, London E1 2AT, UK. Electronic address: a.t.michael-titus@qmul.ac.uk.
⁹ King's College London, Regeneration Group, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK. Electronic address: lawrence.moon@kcl.ac.uk.
¹⁰ University Biomedical Services, University of Cambridge, Greenwich House, Madingley Rise, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0TX, UK. Electronic address: spp24@cam.ac.uk.
¹¹ Spinal Cord Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK. Electronic address: John.Riddell@glasgow.ac.uk.
¹² Animals in Scientific Research Unit, 14th Floor, Lunar House, 40 Wellesley Road, Croydon CR9 2BY, UK. Electronic address: Kathy.Ryder@homeoffice.gov.uk.
¹³ Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, 4 Newark St, London E1 2AT, UK. Electronic address: p.yip@qmul.ac.uk.

PMID: 32142803
DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113273

Abstract

This report was produced by an Expert Working Group (EWG) consisting of UK-based researchers, veterinarians and regulators of animal experiments with specialist knowledge of the use of animal models of spinal cord injury (SCI). It aims to facilitate the implementation of the Three Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement), with an emphasis on refinement. Specific animal welfare issues were identified and discussed, and practical measures proposed, with the aim of reducing animal use and suffering, reducing experimental variability, and increasing translatability within this critically important research field.

Keywords: Animal model; Animal welfare; Paralysis; Refinement; Regeneration; Spinal contusion; Spinal cord injury; Spinal transection; Three Rs; Tissue repair; Translational research.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animal Welfare / standards*
Animals
Disease Models, Animal*
Rodentia
Spinal Cord Injuries*