THE SELECTIVITY OF MOTOR AXONS DURING REGENERATION WITH SENSORY AXONS

This study investigated the influence of selective sensory regeneratio n on less selective motor regeneration in a rat femoral nerve model. T he proximal stump of the motor branch to the quadriceps muscle was sut ured to the distal stumps of one motor and one sensory branch. Regener ated sensory axons were degenerated secondarily, and motor regeneratio n was later evaluated. The distal sensory stump attracted both regener ating sensory and motor axons. Misdirected motor axons in the distal b ranches were not pruned over time. The authors hypothesized that motor regeneration may have been influenced by selective sensory regenerati on or non-selective neurotropic attraction.