FIG. 5.

MgCl₂ treatment does not protect motor neurons or oligodendrocytes after spinal cord injury. (A) A transverse section through the thoracic spinal cord of a sham-operated rat stained with cresyl violet clearly shows neuronal cell bodies, particularly the large somatic motor neurons of the ventral horn. The boxes in the inset indicate areas of ventral horn (left) and white matter (right) shown in A–C and D–F and which were used for quantification of neurons and oligodendrocytes. Scale bar=100 μm. (B) With intravenous infusion of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), fewer neurons are seen at 24 h after the contusion at 3 mm from the injury epicenter. (C) MgCl₂-treated rats also have fewer neurons. (D) APC-positive oligodendrocytes are equally distributed in the ventral white matter as shown in a transverse section from a sham-operated rat. Scale bar=200 μm. (E) With intravenous infusion of PBS over 24 h following a contusive injury, fewer oligodendrocytes are seen at 3 mm from the injury epicenter. (F) MgCl₂-treated rats also have fewer oligodendrocytes. (G–I) Higher magnification images of D–F. Scale bar=10 μm.