Central actions of relaxin-3 on astrocyte migration, cortical arteriolar flow and cerebral damage

在西方世界，由外伤或中风引起的脑损伤是导致残疾的主要原因。当受伤发生时，一个区域的血液供应通常会受到损害，受影响的组织死亡并形成疤痕。这些变化会影响神经细胞的沟通能力，并导致处理缺陷。我们已经知道松弛素这种激素存在于全身很长一段时间了，但是最近，人们发现这种激素的一种特殊类型只存在于大脑中。我们知道，大脑外的松弛素会增加组织的血流量，减少损伤后的疤痕数量，并与结缔组织的重塑有关。因此，当前工作的目的是研究松弛素的特定脑版本是否作用于大脑以增加血流量并减少损伤后的疤痕。这是一项基础生理学研究，旨在了解特定的大脑松弛素如何发挥作用。我们将检查大脑中提供结缔组织框架的细胞，即星形胶质细胞，移动和改变位置以造成疤痕的方式，并探索大脑松弛素是否会影响这一过程。星形胶质细胞是大脑中数量最多的细胞，提供结构并帮助调节大脑的局部环境。这项工作的一部分将在实验室完成，使用可以检查星形胶质细胞迁移方式的技术，部分将在麻醉动物的全动物准备中完成，观察星形胶质细胞在创伤和血液供应不足时的移动方式。我们还将探讨脑松弛素是否会导致大脑表面的小血管扩张，从而增加某一区域的血流量。实验将在麻醉的大鼠和分离的大鼠脑组织中进行。从长远来看，这些研究可能会突出大脑松弛素在治疗大脑损伤方面的作用。

Injuries of the brain resulting from trauma or stroke are the leading cause of disability in the Western World. When injury occurs, the blood supply to an area is often compromised, the affected tissue dies and a scar forms. These changes affect the ability of nerve cells to communicate and result in processing deficits. We have known that the hormone relaxin is present throughout the body for a long time but recently, a specific type of this hormone has been found to be located solely within the brain. We know that relaxin outside the brain causes an increase in blood flow to tissues and reduces the amount of scarring after damage and is involved with remodelling of connective tissue. Therefore, the purpose of the current work is to investigate whether or not the specific brain version of relaxin acts on the brain to increase blood flow and reduce scarring particularly after injury. This is a study in basic physiology to understand how the specific brain relaxin might function. We will examine the way cells in the brain that provide the connective tissue framework, known as astrocytes, move and change position to cause scars and explore whether or not brain relaxin affects that process. Astrocytes are the most numerous cells in the brain and provide structure and help regulate the local environment in the brain. Part of this work will be done in the laboratory using techniques where it is possible to examine the way astrocytes migrate and part will be done in whole animal preparations in anaesthetized animals looking at the way astrocytes move in response to trauma and loss of blood supply. We will also explore whether or not brain relaxin causes small blood vessels on the surface of the brain to dilate, increasing blood flow to an area. Experiments will be done in anaesthetized rats and isolated rat brain tissue. In the longer-term, these studies might highlight ways in which brain relaxin could be considered in the treatment of injuries in the brain.