The Mechanisms of Peripheral Nerve Preconditioning Injury on Promoting Axonal Regeneration

When axons in the central nervous system (CNS) are damaged, they don't regrow well. However, if a peripheral nerve is injured first, it can help the CNS axons regenerate after a subsequent spinal cord injury. This review explains how this "preconditioning injury" boosts axon regeneration. The initial nerve injury sends signals that increase the expression of regeneration-associated genes (RAG), which promote axon growth. Also, the injury causes interactions between nerve cells and other cells, amplifying the regenerative effects. Moreover, the preconditioning injury affects mitochondria, and protein and lipid synthesis, enhancing cellular metabolism adaptation during axon regeneration. Together, these changes enable better axon regeneration in the central nervous system.

• 1
  Injury signal transduction resulting from preconditioning peripheral nerve injury regulates the RAG expression to enhance axonal regeneration.
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  Preconditioning peripheral nerve injury triggers interactions between neurons and nonneuronal cells to amplify and maintain their effects.
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  The preconditioning injury impacts mitochondria, protein, and lipid synthesis, enhancing cellular metabolism adaptation during axon regeneration.