Figure 9.

DREZ is a barrier for DRG axon regeneration. A, The DREZ (white-bordered area) is defined as the segment in the dorsal root that is immunonegative for laminin. Scale bar, 500 μm. B, Spinal cord section labeled with antibodies to chondroitin sulfate (CS) chain and tenascin-C to show the upregulation of CSPGs in the injured dorsal root and tenascin-C in the DREZ 12 weeks after dorsal root crush injury. Scale bar, 250 μm. C, Spinal cord section of AAV5–fGFP or AAV5–α9–V5 + AAV5–kindlin1–GFP injected animals 12 weeks after dorsal root crush injury, showing that fGFP-expressing axons do not grow into the tenascin-C-rich DREZ, whereas α9 integrin and kindlin1-expressing axons grow beyond the tenascin-C-rich DREZ and into the spinal cord. Scale bar, 250 μm.