Euriochrome cyanine

Sections from a single series of C4-C6 spinal cord were stained with cresyl violet (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) for Nissl substance and euriochrome cyanine (Sigma) for myelin, dehydrated, and coverslipped with DPX mounting medium (Fisher Scientific, Pittsburgh, PA).
To determine the amount of spared tissue at the lesion epicenter, the area of spared grey and white matter in the ipsilesional and contralesional cord and the lesion cavity were measured separately at lesion epicenter using the Cavalieri estimator method (Stereo Investigator, MicroBrightfield, Burlington, VT) by an evaluator blinded to experimental groups. The proportion of the spared tissue area on the ipsilesional side of the spinal cord to the tissue area on the contralesional (uninjured) spinal cord was determined (32 (link)).

Sections from a single series were stained with cresyl violet (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) for Nissl substance and euriochrome cyanine (Sigma) for myelin. Sections were cover slipped with Permount mounting medium (Fisher Scientific, Pittsburgh, PA).
To determine the amount of spared tissue, the area of contralesional grey and white matter, spared grey and white matter on the ipsilesional side and the lesion cavity were measured separately in 10 non-serial sections (250 μm apart) spanning the rostrocaudal extent (C4–6) of the lesion using the Cavalieri estimator method (Stereo Investigator, MicroBrightfield, Burlington, VT) by an experimenter blinded to experimental groups. We then determined the proportion of the spared tissue area on the ipsilesional side of the spinal cord to the tissue area on the contralesional (uninjured) spinal cord (Côté et al, 2012 (link); Detloff et al, 2012b ).