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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Facial Nerve Surgery in the Rat Model to Study Axonal Inhibition and Regeneration
Published on: May 5, 2020
Expression of Reg/PAP family members during motor nerve regeneration in rat
Kazuhiko Namikawa1, Munehisa Fukushima, Koichi Murakami
1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
Abstract:
In this study, we examined the expression of mRNAs for Regenerating gene (Reg)/pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) family members following hypoglossal nerve injury in rats. In addition to four rat family members (RegI, Reg-2/PAP I, PAP II, and PAP III) that had been identified, we newly cloned and sequenced a type-IV Reg gene in rats. Among these five family members, the expression of Reg-2/PAP I mRNA was predominantly enhanced in injured motor neurons after axotomy. Furthermore, a marked induction of PAP III mRNA was observed in the distal part of the injured nerve. A polyclonal antibody was raised against PAP III, and a Western blotting analysis using this antibody confirmed an increased level of PAP III protein in the injured nerve. These results suggest that Reg family members would be new mediators among injured neurons and glial cells, and may play pivotal roles during nerve regeneration.

