title: Reaxotomy of chronically injured rubrospinal neurons results in only modest cell loss.
abstract: Among the most promising therapeutic strategies to facilitate axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury is the transplantation of various cellular substrates into the injury site. With the establishment of a glial scar and cyst at the injury site over time, the implantation of such cells in the chronic injury setting may require some resection of these nonpermissive elements, which could concomitantly reinjure already severed axons. This study evaluates the response of chronically injured rubrospinal neurons to such a second axotomy. Our findings indicate that the second axotomy does not lead to an accelerated loss of rubrospinal neurons, which represents an important finding for those who evaluate axonal regeneration of this motor system in chronic transplantation studies.
authors.affiliation: Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Room 2469 Biosciences Building, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: Brian K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Loren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oschipok
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tetzlaff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy; D002452:Cell Count; D016923:Cell Death; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012086:Reoperation; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery