Lesioned corticospinal tract axons regenerate in myelin-free rat spinal cord

In the adult central nervous system (CNS) of higher vertebrates lesioned axons seemed unable to regenerate and reach their former target regions due to influences of the CNS microenvironment. Evidence from in vitro and biochemical experiments has demonstrated the presence of inhibitory substrate components in CNS tissue, in particular in white matter. These CNS components, which strongly inhibit neurite growth, were identified as minor membrane proteins of defined molecular mass (35 and 250 kDa) in oligodendrocyte membranes and CNS myelin. Oligodendrocyte development and myelin formation can be prevented by x-irradiation of newborn rats. Here we show that in myelin-free spinal cords cortico-spinal tract fibers transected at 2 weeks of age show reelongation of many millimeters within 2-3 weeks after the lesion. In normally myelinated controls, regenerative sprouts grew less than 1.7 mm caudal to the lesion.