A Reproducible Spinal Cord Crush Injury in the Regeneration-Permissive Axolotl

Following injury, axolotls are able to functionally regenerate their spinal cord, regaining both motor and sensory control. In contrast, humans respond to severe spinal cord injury by forming a glial scar, which prevents further damage but also inhibits any regenerative growth, resulting in loss of function caudal to the injury site. The axolotl has become a popular system to elucidate the underlying cellular and molecular events that contribute to successful CNS regeneration. However, the experimental injuries (tail amputation and transection) that are utilized in axolotls do not mimic the blunt trauma that is often sustained in humans. Here, we report a more clinically relevant model for spinal cord injuries in the axolotl using a weight-drop technique. This reproducible model allows precise control over the severity of the injury by regulating the drop height, weight, compression, and position of the injury.