Functional recovery following peripheral nerve injury in the transgenic Thy1‐GFP rat. Issue 3 (12th September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kemp, Stephen W. P.; Phua, Peter D.; Stanoulis, Krisanne N.; Wood, Matthew D.; Liu, Edward H.; Gordon, Tessa; Borschel, Gregory H.
• Is Part Of: Journal of the peripheral nervous system. Volume 18:Issue 3(2013)
• Page Start: 220
• Page End: 231
• Publication Date: 2013-09-12
• Subjects: Nervous system -- Periodicals; Nerves, Peripheral -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases -- Periodicals; Peripheral Nervous System -- Periodicals; 612.81
• DOI: 10.1111/jns5.12035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1085-9489

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jns512035-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p id="jns512035-para-0001">Transgenic mice have been previously used to assess nerve regeneration following peripheral nerve injury. However, mouse models are limited by their small caliber nerves, short nerve lengths, and their inability to fully participate during behavioral assessments. The transgenic <italic>Thy1</italic> GFP rat is a novel transgenic rat model designed to assess regeneration following peripheral nerve injury. However, return of functional and behavioral recovery following nerve injury has not yet been evaluated in these rats. In this study, we ask whether differences in anatomy, recovery of locomotion, myological, and histomorphological measures exist between transgenic <italic>Thy1</italic> GFP rats when compared to wild type (WT) Sprague Dawley rats following unilateral sciatic nerve injury. We found that both motor and sensory neuronal architecture, overground and skilled locomotion, muscle force, motor unit number estimation (MUNE) and wet muscle weights, and histomorphometric assessments are similar between both genetic phenotypes. Overall, these data support the use of the transgenic <italic>Thy1</italic>‐GFP rat in experiments assessing functional and behavioral recovery following nerve injury and repair.</p> </abstract>