영문초록
In order to understand the potential role of alginate bridge in the spinal cord regeneration followed by contusion injury, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans immunoreactivity(CSPG-IR) was assessed at 7-days post-contusion injury sites with or without alginate gel(ALGEL) bridge using immunocytochemistry with CSPG antibody conjugated to FITC and carbazole assay of tissue extracted CSPG. Fluorescence intensity, representing a degree of CSPG-IR, from post-contusion injury group with alginate gel bridge decreased significantly compared to post-contusion injury group without alginate group. In addition carbazole assay demonstrated that CSPG expression at 7 days post-contusion injury with alginate gel group decreased by 11.2~35.8 %. Selected sections along axonal direction, stained with myelin, of the lesion site showed clearly regenerated spinal tissues in the gapped lesion with alginate gel 3 weeks post-contusion injury. In conclusion, this preliminary study may suggest that a decreased expression of CSPG, known as an inhibitor of spinal cord regeneration, may be potential effects of the alginate bridge at spinal cord contusion injury site.