Ciliary neurotrophic factor promotes motor reinnervation of the musculocutaneous nerve in an experimental model of end-to-side neurorrhaphy

Table 1 A comparison of the number of myelinated axons and labeled DRG and motor neurons contributing to MCN

MCN	Number of myelinated axons (n ± SD)	Number of labeled sensory and motor neurons to MCN (n ± SD)	Number of labeled motor neurons to MCN (n ± SD)	% of motor neurons to MCN
Intact	1259 ± 98	1857 ± 115	308 ± 41	16.6
PBS	1473 ± 135‡	515 ± 40‡	51 ± 13‡	9.9
Cerebrolysin	1282 ± 124	477 ± 35‡	46 ± 11‡	9.6
CNTF	782 ± 78‡†	601 ± 34‡†	103 ± 20‡†	17.1

A comparison of the mean number of myelinated axons, all labeled neurons (DRG and motor neurons) and motor neurons contributing to MCN in the intact rats and the MCN stumps after end-to-side anastomosis in PBS-, Cerebrolysin- and CNTF-treated rats as well as percentage of motor neurons. Although total number of myelinated axons in MCN stump of rats treated with CNTF is lower than in those treated with PBS or Cerebrolysin, note that the number and percentage of motor neurons (labeled by green and yellow fluorescence) contributing their axons to MCN stump is significantly higher in CNTF-treated rats.
‡ indicates statistical significance (P < 0.05) when comparing rats of experimental groups with intact rats; † indicates statistical significance (P < 0.05) when comparing rats with ALZET minipumps filled with CNTF and Cerebrolysin or PBS.

ISSN: 1471-2202