Spontaneous axonal regeneration in rodent spinal cord after ischemic injury

Here we present evidence for spontaneous and long-lasting regeneration of CNS axons after spinal cord lesions in adult rats. The length of 200 kD neurofilament (NF)-immunolabeled axons was estimated after photochemically induced ischemic spinal cord lesions using a stereological tool. The total length of all NF-immunolabeled axons within the lesion cavities was increased 6- to 10-fold at 5, 10, and 15 wk post-lesion compared with 1 wk post-surgery. In ultrastructural studies we found the putatively regenerating axons within the lesion to be associated either with oligodendrocytes or Schwann cells, while other fibers were unmyelinated. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that some of the regenerated fibers were tyrosine hydroxylase- or serotonin-immunoreactive, indicating a central origin. These findings suggest that there is a considerable amount of spontaneous regeneration after spinal cord lesions in rodents and that the fibers remain several months after injury. The findings of tyrosine hydroxylase- and serotonin-immunoreactivity in the axons suggest that descending central fibers contribute to this endogenous repair of ischemic spinal cord injury.