Long-Standing Motor and Sensory Recovery following Acute Fibrin Sealant Based Neonatal Sciatic Nerve Repair

Figure 1

Nissl-stained spinal cord transverse sections at lamina IX illustrating the neuroprotective effect on motoneurons, 4, 8, and 12 weeks following P2 sciatic nerve transection and repair. Note the decreased number of motoneurons ipsilateral to the lesion and the improvement of neuronal survival in the coaptation groups. (a, b, c) Ipsilateral side, 4 weeks after lesion, groups AX, AX+FS, and AX+CFS, respectively. (d) Contralateral side, 4 weeks after lesion. (e, f, g) Ipsilateral side, 8 weeks after lesion, groups AX, AX+FS, and AX+CFS, respectively. (h) Contralateral side, 8 weeks after lesion. (i, j, k) Ipsilateral side, 12 weeks after lesion, groups AX, AX+FS, and AX+CFS, respectively. (l) Contralateral side, 12 weeks after lesion. Scale bar = 50 μm. (m) Ratio of neuronal survival 4, 8, and 12 weeks following P2 sciatic nerve transection and repair. Both coaptation groups displayed a significantly increased neuronal survival in all survival times analyzed. Mean SE. AX: axotomy; AX+FS: axotomy followed by coaptation with fibrin sealant derived from snake venom; AX+CFS: axotomy followed by coaptation with commercial fibrin sealant.