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

Figure 3

Immunohistochemical analysis of the spinal cord ventral horn stained with glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), 4, 8, and 12 weeks, following P2 sciatic nerve transection and repair. A decrease in astrogliosis is observed in both coaptation groups, 4 weeks after lesion. (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) The mean ratio, obtained by the ratio IL/CL (ipsi/contralateral sides) of the integrated density of pixels at lamina IX. Observe the significant reduction of astrogliosis in both groups repaired with fibrin sealant, 4 weeks after lesion. 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.