Figure 1.

Pathological changes of rat brain tissue after traumatic brain injury (hematoxylin-eosin staining, × 400).

(A) Sham-surgery group: Brain tissue structure was clear, cells arranged regularly, cell contour was normal (arrow), with nuclei in the center and distinct nucleoli. (B) 2 hour trauma group: Hemorrhage foci were visible, neural cells arranged disorderly, with unclear polarity, some cells mildly swelled (arrow), focal nuclei pyknosis was observed. (C) 6 hour trauma group: Hemorrhage foci were apparent, nerve cells began to swell (arrow), degenerate, necrosis and apoptosis, some cells exhibited nuclear condensation and interstitial edema.

(D) 24 hour trauma group: In addition to the above changes, nerve cell edema, degeneration and necrosis were significantly seen (arrow), with vacuolar degeneration and unclear nuclear structure. (E) 3 day trauma group: The above phenomena were aggravated, a large amount of pyknotic nuclei and nuclear fragments were visible in the center of the lesion (arrow), surrounded by apoptotic cells. (F) 5 day trauma group: Interstitial edema was still visible but significantly attenuated, some nerve cells swelled and focal nuclei pyknosis was observed (arrow).