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21 - Inhibitors of axonal regeneration

from Section B2 - Determinants of regeneration in the injured nervous system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2012

Tim Spencer
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA
Marco Domeniconi
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA
Marie T. Filbin
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA
Michael Selzer
Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania
Stephanie Clarke
Affiliation:
Université de Lausanne, Switzerland
Leonardo Cohen
Affiliation:
National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Pamela Duncan
Affiliation:
University of Florida
Fred Gage
Affiliation:
Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego
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Summary

Introduction

The adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is one of the most sophisticated and intricate structures found in nature. It is also, however, one of the most delicate. Injuries to the mammalian brain or spinal cord often result in a loss of sensory and/or motor function which is invariably considered to be “untreatable”. The ancient Egyptians were the first to recognize this fact and, since then, doctors and scientists have sought to understand why, following injury, neurons of the mammalian CNS fail to regrow cut or damaged axons whereas their peripheral nervous system (PNS) counterparts often do. Research conducted in many laboratories over the past 25 years, have resulted in the elucidation of some of the causes and mechanisms of this regenerative failure and, indeed, have also suggested potential targets for therapeutic intervention thus indicating that these ailments may, in fact, not be “untreatable.”

Why do injured CNS neurons fail to regenerate? Do these neurons lose their intrinsic capacity to grow with development, or are there extrinsic factors which prevent repair? The answers to these questions appear to lie in the study of the local CNS environment. In 1981, Sam David and Albert Aguayo were the first to suggest that perhaps this lack of regeneration may not be entirely cell autonomous. Axons from damaged CNS neurons will, in fact, exhibit some regeneration if provided a permissive environment such as a peripheral nerve graft (David and Aguayo, 1981).

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2006

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  • Inhibitors of axonal regeneration
    • By Tim Spencer, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA, Marco Domeniconi, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA, Marie T. Filbin, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA
  • Edited by Michael Selzer, University of Pennsylvania, Stephanie Clarke, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland, Leonardo Cohen, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, Pamela Duncan, University of Florida, Fred Gage, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego
  • Book: Textbook of Neural Repair and Rehabilitation
  • Online publication: 05 March 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545061.024
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  • Inhibitors of axonal regeneration
    • By Tim Spencer, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA, Marco Domeniconi, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA, Marie T. Filbin, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA
  • Edited by Michael Selzer, University of Pennsylvania, Stephanie Clarke, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland, Leonardo Cohen, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, Pamela Duncan, University of Florida, Fred Gage, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego
  • Book: Textbook of Neural Repair and Rehabilitation
  • Online publication: 05 March 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545061.024
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Inhibitors of axonal regeneration
    • By Tim Spencer, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA, Marco Domeniconi, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA, Marie T. Filbin, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY, USA
  • Edited by Michael Selzer, University of Pennsylvania, Stephanie Clarke, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland, Leonardo Cohen, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, Pamela Duncan, University of Florida, Fred Gage, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego
  • Book: Textbook of Neural Repair and Rehabilitation
  • Online publication: 05 March 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545061.024
Available formats
×