Figure 8.

α9 integrin enhances sensory axon growth into a dorsal column crush lesion. Shown are longitudinal sections through the dorsal column-injured spinal cord 6 weeks after treatment with AAV-α9 integrin plus AAV-fGFP (A–C, G–I), or AAV-fGFP alone (D–F, J). K, Quantification of GFP-labeled axons within the lesion boundaries in the α9 integrin-treated and the control-treated groups. The asterisk (*) indicates significantly (p < 0.05) more axons were present within the lesion site in the α9 group. L, M, Longitudinal section through the lesion site after α9 integrin-treatment immunostained for TN-C, showing a GFP-labeled axon growing along a TN-C-immunopositive fiber. N, O, Quantification of behavioral data for the pressure test (N) and the hot-plate test (O), before injury and at 5 weeks after injury. Error bars indicate SEM. Scale bars: A, D, L, 500 μm; (in F) B, C, E, F, 100 μm; (in G) G–J, M, 100 μm.