Sensory neurons regenerate more dominantly than motoneurons during the initial stage of the regenerating process after peripheral axotomy

THIS study was designed to determine whether sensory neurons or motoneurons were dominant during the earlier stage of the regeneration process after p eripheral axotomy. After transection of the right sciatic nerves of rats, e pineurial end neurorrhaphy was performed. At 5, 7 and 14 days postoperative ly, the nerves were re-transected at the positive pinch site, and their pro ximal stumps were exposed to the retrograde neurotracer, Fluoro-Gold (F-G). Seventy-two hours later, the lumbar spinal cords and the L4 and L5 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were harvested and evaluated. The incidence and the inte nsity of F-G labelling in DRG were significantly higher than in anterior ho rns (AH). These results demonstrated that sensory neurons were more dominan t than motoneurons in nerve regeneration. (C) 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wi lkins.