title: Transgenic models of nerve repair and nerve regeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The mainstays of peripheral nerve research have historically involved quantifying nerve regeneration by the staining of fixed specimens at multiple time points and by assessing the function of innervated targets. We review advances in transgenic techniques that significantly improve upon standard nerve imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  The emergence of transgenic mice whose axons or Schwann cells constitutively express chromophores and techniques enabling direct visualization of nerve regeneration over time after a nerve injury are evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These techniques have enabled investigators to monitor the behaviors of single axons after injury over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transgenic tools that overexpress proteins or desired factors at certain targets are available, thus circumventing methodological difficulties in drug delivery, maintenance of constant neurotrophic factor concentrations and the comorbidities associated with achieving these aims. In this chapter, we will outline the advancements made in peripheral nerve research using transgenic mouse models. We focus on transgenic tools that have fluorescing nervous system components, overexpress factors at desired targets, or knockout mice with hereditable or modifiable deficits.
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magill
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Whitlock
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Solowski
authors.forename: Terence
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Myckatyn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy / Q000379:methods; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors