Figure 2
Motoneuron loss was reduced and regenerating cell number enlarged by ISP intervention.
(a) Retrograde labeled cells located in C6-C7 spinal cord segments after injecting fluorogold into musculocutaneous nerve. More labeled cells were observed in ISP treated animals. (b) Averaged fluorogold labeled cell number at 6- and 12-week post surgery in both groups. At 6-week time point, 51.3% more cells were retrogradly labeled in ISP group than in vehicle rats and this number was even enlarged to 61.5% at 12-week time point even though labeled cell number raised in both groups. (c) Representative images showing spinal cord sections (C6 and C7 segments) stained with ChAT antibody (green). Motoneuron loss after avulsion/re-implantation was reduced by ISP treatment. (d) Survival rate of motoneurons was calculated as the ratio of ChAT positive cell number in the ipsilateral spinal cord (C5-C7 segments) to that of the contralateral side. ISP treatment significantly increased survival rate of motoneurons from 61.2% in vehicle rats to 80.7% (Data expressed as mean ± SEM, n = 5, ****p < 0.0001, chi-square test). (e) Regenerating axons in ISP animals (stained with ChAT, green, white arrowhead), usually accompanied by a blood vessel (white asterisk), navigated directly across spinal white matter and the CNS-PNS TZ and formed physical connections with re-implanted spinal roots (white arrow). (Scale bars: 100 μm in (a,e), 200 μm in (c)).
