Sciatic nerve response to injury in hibernating and non-hibernating ground squirrels

At 21 and 36 postcrush days, regenerating axonal sprouts were observed and counted in the distal stumps of sciatic nerves from non-hibernating ground squirrels (Tb = 37 degrees C). More importantly, regenerating axonal sprouts were present in the distal segments of sciatic nerves from hibernating ground squirrels (Tb = 4-10 degrees C), but the total number was significantly less than the number noted in non-hibernating animals.