Experimental Evidence for Regeneration following Spinal Section in the Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus L.)

Abstract

LITTLE is known of regenerative processes in the central nervous system of lower vertebrates. In fishes a few experiments have been made on the spinal cord. Koppányi and Weiss¹, Pearcy and Koppányi² and Hooker³ cut the cord of Carassius carassius and C. auratus and reported the reappearance of locomotory movements after 8–10 weeks and cases of morphological regeneration. Hooker⁴ transected the cord in young specimens of Lebistes reticulatus and claimed full co-ordination of movement in little over 4 days after the operation. Kirsche⁵ carried out spinal section in adult L. reticulatus and reported both physiological and morphological regeneration of the cord 15 days after the operation. Like previous investigators he assessed physiological regeneration by observing the locomotory movements. He also reported a posterior twitch following electrical stimulation of the cord anterior to the section.