Figure 6

Axon guidance at the site of a cervical spinal cord injury in a rat model. (Ai) Schematic illustrating transplantation of scaffold into a C-4 hemisection. The injury cavity is shown prior to (ii) and immediately following (iii) transplantation. (Bi) Scaffold conditioned with flow exhibits viable GFP-labeled microvessels (green) (ii) and alignment of host axons (magenta) infiltrating the scaffold in the rostral-caudal direction (grey arrow). (C) Scaffold conditioned in static conditions showing disrupted alignment of both microvessels (ii) and host axons (iii). (D–F) Microvessel and axon plots showing alignment (D,E) and length (F). Scale bars, 1 mm (Aii,Aiii) and 50 μm (B,C). Data are presented as mean ± s.e.m. ***P < 0.001; statistical significance was calculated using Welch Two Sample t-test. White arrows denote proximity of axons with microvessels. Microvessel alignment values (n = 30), axon alignment values (n = 30), microvessel length values (n = 15), and axon length values (n = 15) are from single hydrogel samples per condition.