[Immunohistocytochemistry in evaluation of spinal cord injury]

The results of spinal cord injury were evaluated immunohistocytochemically with monoclonal antibody to neurofilament (NF) or glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) for labelling the nerve cells, nerve fibres and astrocytes in 13 dogs. Their cords were taken out in 6, 12, 24, 48 hours or 10-12 weeks after trauma by standard injury. Morphometric analysis was also used. We found that the injured nerve fibres expanded gradually and then disappeared, the astrocytes became GFAP positive and the GFAP framework structures disrupted 24 hours after injury. Later in 10-12 weeks after injury, the nerve cells changed in 3 different functional patterns: active phase, stable phase and week phase. There was a significant correlation between axon counting and GFAP area ratio, also the active phase counting to the muscle function. Its biological significance was also discussed.