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01-03-2015 | Original Article

Correlation between motor function and axonal morphology in neonatally sciatic nerve-injured rats

Authors: Akira Kakegawa, Kumiko Yokouchi, Toshiro Itsubo, Kyutaro Kawagishi, Mika Karasawa, Tetsuji Moriizumi, Nanae Fukushima

Published in: Anatomical Science International | Issue 2/2015

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the correlation between motor function and axonal morphology in neonatally sciatic nerve-injured rats. The left sciatic nerve of newborn rats was transected or crushed, and functionality of the sciatic nerve was assessed by the static sciatic index after 8 weeks. After functional assessment, the common peroneal nerves in the control, nerve-transected, and nerve-crushed rats were removed and prepared for morphometric examinations. The cross-sectional area of the nerve, total number of myelinated axons, and size of each myelinated axon were analyzed for each group. The control rats showed normal motor function, whereas the nerve-transected rats showed severe motor dysfunction. The cross-sectional area of the nerve and total number of myelinated axons were reduced after nerve transection. Moreover, the percentage per size class of myelinated axons was almost uniform in the control rats, while the distribution was shifted to the left in the nerve-transected rats. Furthermore, no large myelinated axons were observed in the nerve-transected rats. The nerve-crushed rats showed various gait functions with various distribution patterns of axonal size, and the rats were divided into two groups with and without uninjured residual large axons. The results showed that the importance of regenerated medium-sized axons in cases without large axons and of residual large axons in cases with large axons in motor function. It was revealed that motor function was related closely to axonal size in neonatally nerve-injured rats.

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Title: Correlation between motor function and axonal morphology in neonatally sciatic nerve-injured rats
Authors: Akira Kakegawa
Kumiko Yokouchi
Toshiro Itsubo
Kyutaro Kawagishi
Mika Karasawa
Tetsuji Moriizumi
Nanae Fukushima
Publication date: 01-03-2015
Publisher: Springer Japan
Published in: Anatomical Science International / Issue 2/2015
Print ISSN: 1447-6959
Electronic ISSN: 1447-073X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-014-0236-z

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Correlation between motor function and axonal morphology in neonatally sciatic nerve-injured rats

Abstract

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Abstract

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