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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

An Ex Vivo Laser-induced Spinal Cord Injury Model to Assess Mechanisms of Axonal Degeneration in Real-time
Published on: November 25, 2014
Axonal degeneration and regeneration: a mechanistic tug-of-war
1The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. m.hilliard@uq.edu.au
Abstract:
Axonal degeneration is a common hallmark of both nerve injury and many neurodegenerative conditions, including motor neuron disease, glaucoma, and Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. Degeneration of the axonal compartment is distinct from neuronal cell death, and often precedes or is associated with the appearance of the symptoms of the disease. A complementary process is the regeneration of the axon, which is commonly observed following nerve injury in many invertebrate neurons and in a number of vertebrate neurons of the PNS. Important discoveries, together with innovative imaging techniques, are now paving the way towards a better understanding of the dynamics and molecular mechanisms underlying these two processes. In this study, I will discuss these recent findings, focusing on the balance between axonal degeneration and regeneration.
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