Figure 2.

Decline in the number of non-neuronal cells and the proliferative capacity of S-100 positive SCs with chronic denervation. (A) Non-neuronal cells isolated from acutely (7 days) and chronically (7 weeks and 17 months) denervated distal nerve stumps of the sciatic nerve and its tibial (TIB), common peroneal (CP), and sural nerve branches, namely control acute and experimental chronically denervated distal nerve stump form the right and left hindlimbs, respectively. The cells were counted in small aliquots of single cell suspensions. (B) The mean (± SE) of the proliferation index. The index is the number of S-100 positive SCs that, in co-cultures with isolated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons for 5 days, were labeled with ³H-thymidine and hence were dividing, expressed as a percentage of the total number of S-100 positive SCs. The proliferation indices at 7 days, 7 weeks and 17 months were significantly different from one another as indicated by *’s (p < 0.025).