Neuroanatomical and neurochemical atlas of the spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) spinal cord.

Abstract

Acomys cahirinus is an increasingly utilized model in various biological disciplines, particularly for studying the regeneration and developmental plasticity of the central nervous system due to its remarkable ability for neural tissue repair and early neurodevelopmental milestones. Despite its growing prominence in neuroscience, the lack of comprehensive neuroanatomical data hinders precise experimental design, especially in injury and regeneration studies. To address this gap, we present a neuroanatomical and neurochemical atlas of the Acomys cahirinus spinal cord, integrating anatomical, cytoarchitectonic, neurochemical, and morphometric data. The atlas includes: (1) a scheme depicting the relative positions of the vertebrae and spinal segments for precise access during experimental interventions; (2) mapping of neuronal populations within the spinal laminae and nuclei expressing various neurochemical markers, including NeuN, calbindin 28 kDa, calretinin, choline acetyltransferase, nitric oxide synthase, and non-phosphorylated neurofilaments (SMI-32); and (3) transverse stereotaxic maps outlining white matter and gray matter along with their laminae and nuclei, providing a reference for spatial analysis of the spinal cord. Images from the spinal cord atlas are available in the Supplementary materials.