Early history of mammalian nerve regeneration

The history of mammalian nerve regeneration research was reviewed up until the time of Ramón y Cajal. Progress in both peripheral and CNS regeneration was discussed in relation to advances in neurobiology and histology and to the auto-regeneration controversy which persisted throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century. The positions of the monogenists and polygenists were presented and the contributions which sprang from attempts to resolve the controversy were explored. The early investigators developed basic concepts and defined the problems of regeneration research. Their efforts contributed significantly to our understanding of the behavior of neurons following axotomy and laid the foundation for modern investigators in morphological plasticity of neurons.