Effects on the growth of damaged ganglion cell axons after peripheral nerve transplantation in adult hamsters

Abstract

After transplantation of autologous sciatic nerve segments into the retina of adult hamsters for 1-2 months, retrograde labelling with horseradish peroxidase demonstrated a population of ganglion cells situated peripheral to the graft. If an additional lesion was placed between the insertion of the graft and the optic disc at the same time as transplantation, in addition to labelled cells situated peripheral to the graft, retrograde labelling with horseradish peroxidase demonstrated a population of labelled neurons located between the graft and the optic disc which was not observed in animals without the additional lesion. Since the axons of this population of cells would have to turn around away from their normal course towards the optic disc and travel for about 1.5 mm in order to grow into the graft, it suggests that the peripheral nerve graft might play an active role in attracting and/or guiding damaged ganglion cell axons to grow into it.