A new millenium for spinal cord regeneration: growth-associated genes.

Abstract

Neurons surviving spinal cord injury undergo extensive reorganization that may result in the formation of functional synaptic contacts. Many neurons, however, fail to activate the necessary mechanisms for successful regeneration. In this review, we discuss the implications of growth cone genes that we have correlated with successful spinal cord axonal regeneration. Factors that inhibit regeneration, and activation of genes that promote it are discussed. The early progress n understanding mechanisms that seem to promote or inhibit regeneration in the central nervous system may have significant clinical utility in the future.