A bipedal mammalian model for spinal cord injury research: The tammar wallaby

This research explores the use of tammar wallabies as a model to study spinal cord injury, focusing on their ability to recover from spinal injuries at different developmental stages. The study found a 'permissive' period early in development where spinal cord regeneration is possible, and a later 'non-permissive' period where it isn't. Unlike quadrupeds, wallabies are bipedal, making them potentially more relevant for human spinal cord injury studies because they rely less on sensory feedback for locomotor functions.

• 1
  Tammars injured up to 3 weeks of age showed axon regrowth across the spinal cord lesion site, restoring supraspinal innervation.
• 2
  Young tammars injured at P7-21 were able to hop and swim similarly to controls at pouch exit (P180).
• 3
  Tammars injured after 6 weeks of age did not exhibit axon regrowth and showed impaired hind limb function.