Fig. 5.

Application of uniaxial strain to axons connecting two organotypic hippocampal slices together (50μm × 6μm microchannels). A) Time progression of delayed elastic effect on axon bundle after application of 42% strain, 19s⁻¹ strain rate, i) before injury, ii) immediately after injury, iii) 20mins after injury, iv) 50mins after injury, v) 75mins after injury, vi) 210mins after injury, vii) 24hrs after injury (arrows (ii) show individual “waves/undulations”, arrow heads (v) show beading). B) Axonal beading, i) before injury, ii) after injury. C) Example of axonal bundle unravelling after application of a 42% strain, 19s⁻¹ strain rate, i) before injury, ii) after injury (arrow shows point of unravelling). D) Example of primary axotomy after application of 42% strain, 19s⁻¹ strain rate, i) before injury, ii) after injury (arrows show free ends of axon). E) Effect of applied strain profile across the pressure cavity on axonal microtubules 4hrs after 42% strain injury and 19s⁻¹ strain rate. β-tubulin immunostaining of axons at pressure cavity walls, i.e., regions of low applied strain, i) small diameter axon, ii) larger diameter bundle, and at the center of the pressure cavity, i.e., region of peak applied strain, iii) small diameter axon, iv) larger diameter bundle. Scale, 10μm.