The expression of nerve growth factor receptor on Schwann cells and the effect of these cells on the regeneration of axons in traumatically injured human spinal cord |
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Authors: | Zi Hui Wang Gerhard Franz Walter Lieselotte Gerhard |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Beijing Medical University, 38 Xueyuan Road, 100083 Beijing, P.R. China, CN;(2) Institut für Neuropathologie, Medizinische Hochschule, Konstanty-Gutschow-Strasse 8, D-30625 Hannover, Germany Fax: 49-511-532-4550, DE;(3) Institute for Clinical Neurosurgery, University of Witten/Herdecke, Am Hagen, D-45527 Hattingen, Germany, DE |
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Abstract: | To investigate the effects of Schwann cells and nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) on the regeneration of axons, autopsy
specimens of spinal cord from 21 patients with a survival time of 2 h to 54 years after spinal cord trauma were studied using
immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Regenerating sprouts of axons could be observed as early as 4 days after trauma.
At 4.5 months after trauma, many regenerating nests of axons appeared in the injured spinal cord. The regeneration nests contained
directionally arranged axons and Schwann cells. Some axons were myelinated. In injured levels of the spinal cord, the Schwann
cells exhibited an increased expression of NGFR within spinal roots. These results show that an active regeneration process
occurs in traumatically injured human spinal cord. The NGFR expressed on Schwann cells could mediate NGF to support and induce
the axon regeneration in the central nervous system.
Received: 20 June 1995 / Revised, accepted: 18 September 1995 |
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Keywords: | Human Spinal cord trauma Axon regeneration Nerve growth factor receptor Schwann cell |
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