Clinical and Developmental Immunology, 2013 · DOI: 10.1155/2013/812456 · Published: July 2, 2013
Following central nervous system (CNS) injury, a glial scar is formed by astrocytes and axon growth inhibitors associated with myelin, hindering axonal regeneration. However, the lab previously showed that immunological demyelination of the CNS enhances severed axon regeneration post-spinal cord injury. This study investigates whether immunological demyelination also causes astrogliosis, comparing astrogliosis and macrophage/microglial cell responses a week after immunological demyelination or a stab injury to the dorsal funiculus. The results suggest that immunological demyelination establishes a unique environment where astrocytes do not form a glial scar, offering a model to explore the interaction between astrocytes and activated macrophage/microglial cells.
The study provides a unique animal model to understand the putative physiological response of astrocytes during inflammation in the central nervous system, offering insights into glial scar formation.
The findings could inform the development of therapeutic strategies that modulate the astrocyte response to promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery after CNS injuries.
The research contributes to a better understanding of the interplay between demyelination, inflammation, and astrocyte reactivity in the context of CNS repair.