Regeneration of lesioned corticospinal tract fibers in the adult rat spinal cord under experimental conditions

Abstract

The absence of fiber regrowth in the injured spinal cord and brain is influenced by several different factors and mechanisms. Among these are factors which inhibit neurite growth which are found on the surface of oligodendrocytes and central myelin. Their neutralization by a specific antibody allowed regeneration of transected corticospinal tract fibers in the adult rat spinal cord. Using a recently introduced novel neuroanatomical tracer, biotin-dextran-amine, we demonstrate the extensive regenerative sprouting of lesioned corticospinal fibers in the lesioned adult spinal cord. In the presence of the antibody against the myelin-associated neurite growth inhibitors, some of these fibers grew over remaining tissue bridges into the caudal spinal cord. They branched extensively in the lumbar spinal cord segments. These branches were decorated with synapse-like boutons. This neuroanatomical configuration probably contributes importantly to the functional recovery observed earlier in these antibody-treated animals.