Figure 5.

Behavior and electrophysiological improvement following the SCLT implantation and the integration of SCLT with the host spinal cord. a–d) Rats in the SCLT presented an overall improvement of hind limb motor function in the glass cube observation (a1), the inclined grid climbing test (b1), and the open field observation (c1), when compared with the Scaffold (SF) group (a2), (b2), (c2) or the transection spinal cord injury (SCI) group (a3), (b3), (c3). d) BBB scoring showed a significant increase in the hind limb motor function following the SCLT implantation, asterisks indicate statistical significance when compared with the SCI group (*p < 0.05 in (d)) and hash symbols indicate significant difference when compared with the SF group (^# p < 0.05 in (d)). e–g) Rats in the SCLT group have increased amplitudes and shortened latency of the CMEPs, resembling more similarities to those in the Normal (Nor) group (*p < 0.05, when compared with the Nor group; ^# p < 0.05 when compared with the SCLT group; ^& p < 0.05 when compared with the SF group). Asterisks indicate statistical significance when compared with the Nor group. h) GFP donor derived WMLT of a SCLT integrated with the host spinal cord 8 weeks after implantation. i,j) GFP positive donor cells expressed MBP and enwraped NF positive regenerating nerve fibers in the injury/graft site of spinal cord. k) Immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) showed that myelin sheath (stained by DAB, arrows) formed by GFP donor cell enwrapped an axon (asterisk). Host myelin sheath did not show DAB staining (arrowheads). l) GFP donor derived GMLT of a SCLT integrated with the host spinal cord 8 weeks after implantation. m) The GFP and NF double‐positive nerve fibers were surrounded by MBP positive cells. n) IEM showed that GFP positive axons (DAB labeled, asterisks) were enwrapped by myelin sheathes. Scale bars = 500 µm in panels (h) and (l), 10 µm in panels (i) and (j), 20 µm in panel (m), 200 nm in panels (k)–(n).