EARLY ANATOMICAL CHANGES: THEIR INFLUENCE ON A REGENERATIVE ENVIRONMENT
Martin Oudega, Ph.D. • Patrick M. Wood, Ph.D. • Mary B. Bunge, Ph.D.

For effective healing to take place, researchers think a process called angiogenesis, the development or regrowth of blood vessels, may be important. Dr. Wood and his colleagues conducted a study to describe angiogenesis following contusion injury. They observed a loss of blood vessels in the lesion site within the first 2 days after the injury. Between day 2 and day 7, they saw an increase in the number of blood vessels. By day 14, however, the number of blood vessels decreased correlating to the formation of a cavity at the lesion site. Researchers do not yet know if approaches to preserve the new blood supply in a lesion could result in better regeneration.

In other work that describes the early changes in a spinal cord lesion, Dr. Oudega and colleagues at the University of Louisville in Kentucky noted that axons degenerate and form a swelled terminal club at their ends. These terminal clubs may rupture and cause further degeneration which may create an environment that hinders regeneration. Neurotrophins are growth promoting proteins that enhance the survival and growth of neurons following injury. By injecting various combinations of neurotrophins, the investigators found that it reduced axon degeneration. As evidenced by these and other studies, the Miami Project continues to work to reveal the complex chain of events that occur in acute and chronic spinal cord injury. Based on these observations, researchers hope to devise new strategies to foster a regenerative environment.