After exposing the heart of an anesthetized rat, cut the right atrium using fine scissors and inject 100 milliliters of chilled perfusing fluid at approximately two milliliters per second within one minute. Position the rat in the prone position. Cut the spine at the anterior superior iliac spine and the curvature shifting point of the thoracic column.
Immediately place the isolated spine into the oxygenated ice cold perfusing solution to wash off residual blood and fat tissue. Then transfer the isolated spine to the anatomical tray with its dorsal side up and the rostral end near the operator. Fill the tray with 50 milliliters of continuously oxygenated ice cold cutting solution.
Under a dissection microscope, cut the vertebral pedicles on both sides from the rostral end using micro scissors. Next, delicately sever the dura mater along its dorsal midline with micro scissors. Lift the rostral part of the spinal cord carefully and cut the nerve root, leaving about one millimeter reserved.
After the spinal cord has been separated from the vertebral canal, secure it with the ventral side facing up using two insect pins. Trim any excessive nerve roots, leaving about one millimeter intact. Then separate the lumbar enlargement to a length of six to seven millimeters using a micro scissor.
