Fig. 1.

Diagram of experimental designs. (A) Fixation pins were placed above and below the level of the T9–10 laminectomy to confirm reproducible location of the transection. (B–E) Fast Blue (FB) fluorescent dye (0.6 μL) was injected via Hamilton syringe into the thoracic spinal cords of adult female rats at different levels. One week later, tissue was harvested and frozen and the cord sectioned longitudinally (30 μm) on a cryostat. (B) Positive control: FB injection at the T11 level without transection and implantation of scaffold (n = 8). (C) Negative control: FB injection at the T11 level, with transection and implantation of scaffold loaded with solubilized basement membrane preparation (BMP) (n = 8). (D) Experimental groups with caudal FB injection at different levels of the spinal cord (0, 5, or 10 mm caudal to the transection and scaffold loaded with Schwann cells [SCs]) 1 or 2 months after transection/implantation (total, n = 48). (E) Experimental group with FB injection at the T7 level of the spinal cord (5 mm rostral to the transection and scaffold loaded with SCs) 1 month after transection/implantation (n = 8). P1–P4, 15- mm segments of spinal cord (caudal to rostral). (Used with permission from the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research). (Color image is available online at www.liebertpub.com/jon)