FIG. 7.

Transverse sections of the regenerated nerve fibers in the NGCs (4 weeks after implantation; 3 mm position from the proximal end; Meyer's trichrome staining;×100 and×400; white arrow, blood vessel; black arrow, regenerated axon). For the Nanopore NGC/NGF, axon fiber spots created by the perpendicular section of axonal fibers (red color) were observed in the regenerated nerve tissues, indicating that axonal sprouting toward the distal stump occurred. However, for the Micropore NGC/NGF, oblique-shaped axon fibers created by the slanting section of axonal fibers were detected (many of them, inside the porous wall of the conduit), suggesting that the axonal sprouting toward the porous wall of the conduit occurred. Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/tec