The effect of an applied electric field on macrophage accumulation within the subacute spinal injury

Macrophages are implicated to play a substantive role in Che acute inflamma tory reaction Co CNS insult in the delayed progressive secondary damage to parenchyma, especially myelin. When placed in an electrical field in vitro, macrophages show directed pseudopodial extensions and migrate towards the positive pole (anode). We have evaluated if ED1 positive macrophage accumul ations in rat spinal cord injuries were affected by the applied extracellul ar voltage, comparing their numbers to a sham treated group. Our hypothesis was that the applied voltage may reduce the concentration of phagocytes in the central injury and thus reduce the level of secondary damage produced by them. The applied voltage gradient did not alter the number or density o f macrophage accumulations in the three week lesion, nor is there any diffe rence in the degree of cavitation between control and experimental groups.