A mouse model for peripheral neuropathy produced by a partial injury of the nerve supplying the tail.

We attempted to develop a mouse model for peripheral neuropathy by a partial injury of the nerve supplying the tail. Under enflurane anesthesia, the unilateral superior caudal trunk was resected between the S3 and S4 spinal nerves. Tests for thermal allodynia were conducted by immersing the tail into 4 or 38 degrees C water. The mechanical allodynia was assessed by stimulating the tail with a von Frey hair (1.96 mN, 0.2 g). After the nerve injury, the experimental animals had shorter tail withdrawal latencies to cold and warm water immersion than the presurgical latency, and exhibited an increase in tail response to von Frey stimulation. We interpret these abnormal sensitivities as the signs of mechanical, cold and warm allodynia following the superior caudal trunk injury in the mouse.