The Journal of Neuroscience, 2004 · DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2420-04.2004 · Published: September 8, 2004
Adult zebrafish can regrow axons after spinal cord injury, unlike mammals. The protein L1.1 is upregulated during this process. This study uses morpholinos to reduce L1.1 expression and observes the impact on axon regrowth and locomotor recovery. The findings suggest L1.1 plays a role in the successful regrowth of axons from the brainstem and locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury.
Targeting L1.1 or related pathways could be a therapeutic strategy for promoting spinal cord regeneration.
Further research on L1.1's mechanism of action could provide insights into the molecular basis of successful CNS regeneration.
The method of using morpholinos to reduce gene expression in axotomized neurons could be applied to reduce expression of inhibitory molecules in mammals.