Temporal Profile of Endogenous Anatomical Repair and Functional Recovery following Spinal Cord Injury in Adult Zebrafish

PLoS ONE, 2014 · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105857 · Published: August 26, 2014

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cells

Simple Explanation

This study investigates how zebrafish recover swimming ability after a spinal cord injury. Researchers looked at the relationship between swimming ability and the regeneration of nerve fibers. The study found that zebrafish gradually regain swimming ability over several weeks after a spinal cord injury. This recovery is linked to the regeneration of nerve fibers in the injured area. The largest improvements in swimming ability and nerve fiber regeneration occurred between two and four weeks after the injury. This suggests this period is critical for recovery.

Study Duration

8 Weeks

Participants

Adult zebrafish (Danio rerio; male or female wild-type AB* strain, 4–6 months old; ,2.5 cm body length)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Swimming ability in zebrafish gradually improves between two and eight weeks after a spinal cord transection, reaching 44% of sham-injured fish.
2
New tissue forms at the spinal cord transection site, bridging the gap between the rostral and caudal spinal cord stumps.
3
Cerebrospinal axons regenerate beyond the transection site, with the largest relative growth occurring between two and four weeks post-injury.

Research Summary

The study investigates the temporal relationship between swimming ability and regenerated cerebrospinal axon number in adult zebrafish with a complete spinal cord transection. Swimming ability gradually improved to 44% of sham-injured zebrafish between two and eight weeks post-lesion, with the largest increases observed between two and four weeks. Regression analyses revealed a significant correlation between swimming ability and the number of regenerated axons, indicating the involvement of cerebrospinal axons in swimming recovery.

Practical Implications

Understanding Regeneration

The study provides insights into the mechanisms of spinal cord regeneration in zebrafish, which could inform future research on promoting regeneration in other species.

Therapeutic Targets

Identifying key molecules involved in axonal regeneration during the critical two to four-week period could lead to new therapeutic targets for spinal cord injury.

Comparative Studies

Comparing regenerating vs. non-regenerating neurons may reveal crucial molecules involved in axonal regeneration.

Study Limitations

1
The lack of an adaptation period prior to measuring swimming distance may explain the overall shorter distances observed in the study.
2
Variability in the ability to generate new tissue was observed among zebrafish, indicating that individual differences can influence the regenerative process.
3
The exact mechanisms by which the new tissue and regenerated axons contribute to functional recovery remain to be fully elucidated.

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