Figure 1.
Line graph showing the postischaemic recovery in terms of motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV, Letica Electromiography System, panel a) and plantar blood flow (PBF, Transonic Laser Doppler Flowmetry, panel b). Limb ischaemia was induced in Wistar rats by surgical resection of left femoral artery according to established methodology (Emanueli et al., 2001b). After 3 days later, 50 μl sterile saline or 5 × l09 p.f.u. (in 50 μl saline) adenovirus containing the hTK gene or luciferase gene was injected around the ischaemic sciatic nerve (six rats per group). MNCV and PBF were recorded sequentially up to the 21st day following induction of ischaemia. Values are means±s.e.m. and represent the ratio of ischaemic to contralateral side. Solid circles represent hTK-treated and open circles represent vehicle and luciferase-treated rats. *P<0.05.