Elsevier

Experimental Neurology

Volume 99, Issue 2, February 1988, Pages 490-497
Experimental Neurology

Effect of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone on peripheral nerve regeneration in the rat: Histological aspects and comparison with the effect of gangliosides

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Abstract

Recovery that follows a sciatic nerve crush was studied by counting the number of myelinated axons in cross sections of the sciatic nerve at various times after operation. Treatment with α-MSH (10 μg/animal, s.c., every 48 h) resulted in an increased number of myelinated axons 10 days after a sciatic nerve crush (3 mm distal to the crush). At postoperation day 22, α-MSH increased the number and diameter of axons 20 mm distal to the crush, but 3 mm distal to the crush no effect of α-MSH was seen. Treatment with gangliosides (50 mg/kg, i.p., daily) had a somewhat different effect: the number of axons was increased at a later stage and at all distances from the crush. The effect of gangliosides on the axonal diameter was opposite that of α-MSH: treatment with gangliosides stimulated the formation of axons with a smaller diameter.

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This study was funded by and performed in the research laboratories of Organon International BV., OSS, The Netherlands.

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