Characteristics of peripheral nerve regeneration following a second nerve injury and repair.

Abstract

During the process of peripheral nerve regeneration, a single neuron can regenerate and maintain more than one collateral in a regenerative distal stump. Furthermore, some of the new shoots can mature gradually through remyelination and grow into the remote target organ to play a physiological function. Our study found that when neonatal nerve fibers are subjected to a second injury, the regenerative distal stump can regenerate and maintain more than one collateral in the second regenerative distal stump. The neonatal nerve contributed to the functional recovery of the nerve, but the restoration of nerve function was not complete.