Electrophysiologic evidence of regeneration of lamprey spinal neurons

Morphologic evidence has shown that the anteriorly projecting axons of giant interneurons (GIs) can regenerate after spinal transection in larval sea lampreys (19). In the present study, we showed that the regenerating neurites of GIs were electrically excitable. We also showed evidence for regeneration of descending afferent connections to GIs. Spinal cords were transected at the level of the cloaca. After at least 70 days recovery, GIs located 1.5 to 17.0 mm below the scar were impaled with microelectrodes. Stimulating electrodes were placed at various distances above the scar. Six of 13 GIs located 4 to 17 mm below the scar could be activated antidromically. For 1 GI, the rostralmost point of stimulation which elicited these responses was 13.5 mm above the scar. For the others, the range was 0.5 to 4.5 mm. Estimated average conduction velocity in regenerated neurites was 0.50 m/s compared with 1.94 m/s for the parent axon. Twelve GIs could be orthodromically activated by fixed-latency EPSPs. The most rostral point of stimulation that could elicit such responses was 0.5 to 8.5 mm above the scar. There was an inverse relationship between the farthest distance of stimulation and the distance of the GI from the scar. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that regeneration of axons across a spinal transection is limited to neurons whose cell bodies are situated within 1 to 2 cm from the transection, and that regenerating neurites grow only a few millimeters beyond the scar.