Schwann Cells Overexpressing FGF-2 Alone or Combined with Manual Stimulation Do Not Promote Functional Recovery after Facial Nerve Injury
Table 2
Projection patterns of facial motoneurons. Number of motoneurons with axons in the zygomatic, buccal, or marginal mandibular branches of the facial nerve of intact rats (Group 1: Intact), in rats after transection of the right facial nerve followed by entubulation with collagen only (Group 2: Collagen), with collagen plus naive SC's (Group 3: Collagen+SC's), or with collagen plus genetically modified SC's (groups 4 and 5). In groups 6–9 entubulations were followed by manual mechanical stimulation (MS) of the vibrissal muscles.
Group of animals
Neurons projecting only into the zygomatic nerve (Dil-only)
Neurons projecting into the zygomatic and buccal nerves (Dil+FG)
Neurons projecting into the zygomatic and marginal mandibular nerves (Dil+FB)
All Dil labeled neurons projecting into the zygomatic nerve (Dil, DiI+FG, DiI+FB)
Neurons projecting only into the buccal nerve (FG-only)
Neurons projecting only into the marginal mandibular nerve (FB-only)
Total number of neurons projecting into zygomatic buccal and marginal mandibular nerves (Dil-only, FG-only, FB-only)
(1) Intact SD rats
291 ± 35
—
—
291± 35
1406 ± 214
349 ± 78
2046 ± 327
100%
0%
0%
100%
(2) Collagen only
323 ± 67
202 ± 58*
161 ± 60*
696 ±192*
2387 ± 256*
1976 ± 243*
5059 ± 691*
46%
29%
25%
100%
(3) Collagen + naïve Schwann cells (SC's)
372 ± 88
174 ± 66*
138 ± 73*
684 ± 215*
2040 ± 443*
1754 ± 509*
4478 ± 1167*
54%
25%
21%
100%
(4) Collagen + SC-FGF-
234 ± 68
130 ± 54*
83 ± 41*
447±162*
2062 ± 296*
1883 ± 184*
4392 ± 642*
52%
29%
19%
100%
(5) Collagen + SC-FGF-
269 ± 115
151 ± 70*
110 ± 52*
532 ± 232*
2304 ± 363*
1918 ± 334*
4754 ± 929*
50%
28%
22%
100%
(6) Collagen only + MS
322 ± 68
184 ± 86*
128 ± 43*
634 ± 197*
2243 ± 423*
1784 ± 523*
4670 ± 1143*
51%
29%
20%
100%
(7) Collagen + naïve SC's + MS
321 ± 87
186 ± 36*
168 ± 78*
675 ± 201*
2190 ± 543*
1752 ± 309*
4617 ± 1053*
48%
28%
24%
100%
(8) Collagen + SC-FGF- + MS
252 ± 91
330 ± 93*
177 ± 45*
759 ± 229*
2215 ± 204*
1965 ± 492*
4939 ± 925*
33%
43%
24%
100%
(9) Collagen + SC-FGF- + MS
303 ± 69
333 ± 96*
195 ± 48*
831 ± 213*
2280 ± 306*
1899 ± 723*
5010 ± 1242*
36%
40%
24%
100%
*Significant differences of group mean values (ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's test, ) from intact rats.
