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Triggering Reactive Gliosis In Vivo by a Forebrain Stab Injury
Published on: June 29, 2015
Microglia, but not astrocytes, react to sciatic nerve injury in aging rats
1Department of Anatomy-510, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. sgilmore@exchange.uams.edu
Abstract:
Peripheral nerve axotomy activates microglia and astrocytes within regions of brainstem or spinal cord from which the nerve arises. The present study demonstrates that unilateral sciatic axotomy in rats 2 to 18 months of age results in differing responses with age between these two glial populations. By 4 days postaxotomy, both astrocytes and microglia become activated in 2-month-old rats, whereas only the microglial population shows evidence of activation in rats 8 to 18 months of age.

