Silicone plastination of spinal cord of cat: as an alternative specimen for neuroanatomy education

Abstract

Plastination is a technique that aims to preserve biological materials for education, training, and research. Plastinated models increase knowledge and skill, make students easily understand the complex anatomical parts of the central nervous system, meanwhile can reduce the use of animals in research and education. The study aimed to produce a silicone plastinated model of the spinal cord of a cat for practical teaching of neuroanatomy. The spinal cord of a stray cat that died of natural causes was plastinated using silicone plastination method. The cervical spinal nerves (1-8) and brachial plexus were demonstrated. The thoracic region of the spinal cord was also well preserved, but the demonstration of thoracic spinal nerves became very difficult because of too much thinness of the nerves. The lumbosacral plexus was preserved well. In this region cranial iliohypogastric nerve, caudal iliohypogastric nerve, ilioinguinal nerve, femoral nerve, gluteal nerve, ischiadic nerve, obturator nerve, pudendal nerve and cauda equina were visible. The spinal cord of cats prepared by silicone plastination methods can be used as an alternative sample to formalin preserved specimens.