Molecular Strategies in CNS Injury

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Traumatic or ischemic injuries to the central nervous system (CNS) initiate reactive biochemical changes, some of which are autodestructive and others neuroprotective. Identification of these endogenous factors and their regulation will help to clarify mechanisms of secondary tissue damage and may lead to novel therapies. Recently developed molecular approaches offer opportunities for identifying genes involved in these reactive processes. Three types of molecular strategies are reviewed and examples are provided to demonstrate how each may be applied to elucidate basic mechanisms underlying posttraumatic or postischemic death. Key words: CNS trauma; differential display; in situ hybridization; Northern blot analysis; nuclease protection assay; polymerase chain reaction/reverse transcription; subtractive hybridization