Joie Jie Wang. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-132). / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLE --- p.vii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.viii / LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS --- p.xii / Chapter CHAPTER I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter I.1. --- Fibre tracts of the rat spinal cord --- p.1 / Chapter I.2. --- Histopathological responses to spinal cord injuries --- p.2 / Chapter I.3. --- Failure of CNS regeneration --- p.4 / Intrinsic inability of CNS neurons themselves to regenerate --- p.4 / Inappropriate synapse without normal functioning --- p.5 / Progressive necrosis and cystic cavities --- p.5 / Autoimmune explanation for the failure of regeneration --- p.6 / Glial scarring --- p.6 / Absence of Schwann cells in the CNS --- p.7 / Lack of requisite growth factors --- p.8 / Chapter I.4. --- The use of transplants --- p.9 / Transplants of fetal nerve tissues --- p.9 / Transplants of peripheral nerve tissues --- p.10 / Transplants of neuroglial cells --- p.11 / Transplants of central neurons --- p.12 / Chapter I.5. --- Objectives of the present study --- p.13 / Chapter CHAPTER II. --- METERIALS AND METHODS --- p.15 / Chapter II.1. --- Hemisection of rats --- p.15 / Chapter II.2. --- Preparation of purified cortical astrocytes --- p.15 / Chapter II.3. --- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) --- p.18 / Chapter II.4. --- HistologýؤLight microscopy --- p.19 / Chapter II.5. --- Measurement of volume of scar tissue --- p.19 / Chapter II.6. --- Immunofluorescence staining --- p.20 / Chapter II.7. --- Transmission electron microscopy --- p.23 / Chapter II.8. --- Comparison of expression of various proteins in the spinal cord --- p.24 / Polyacrylainide gel electrophoresis --- p.24 / Western blotting --- p.26 / Chapter CHAPTER III. --- RESULTS --- p.28 / Chapter III.1. --- Survival of cultured astrocytes --- p.28 / Chapter III.2. --- Light microscopy --- p.28 / Hemotoxylin and Eosin staining --- p.28 / Toluidine Blue staining --- p.30 / PHAL labelled astrocytes --- p.31 / Immunofluorescence staining --- p.32 / N-CAM --- p.32 / GFAP --- p.33 / NF --- p.34 / Chapter III.3. --- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) --- p.35 / Chapter III.4. --- Determination of the volume of scar tissue --- p.37 / Chapter III.5. --- Gel electrophoresis --- p.38 / Chapter III.6. --- Immunoblotting and densitometry --- p.38 / Chapter CHAPTER IV. --- DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS --- p.115 / REFERENCES --- p.121

by Wai-Ying Li. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-94). / ABSTRACT --- p.i / CONTENTS --- p.iii / Chapter CHAPTER I. --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter A. --- Plasticity of central nervous system --- p.1 / Chapter B. --- The response of spinal cord after injury --- p.2 / Chapter C. --- Sprouting in the corticospinal tracts --- p.3 / Chapter D. --- Influential factors of sprouting in CNS --- p.5 / Chapter E. --- The objective of the present study --- p.6 / Chapter CHAPTER II. --- THE NORMAL RAT CORTICOSPINAL TRACTS --- p.9 / Chapter CHAPTER III. --- MATERIALS AND METHODS / Chapter A. --- The experimental model --- p.15 / Chapter B. --- Retrograde fluorescing tracer study to confirm sprouting --- p.16 / Chapter C. --- Protagol silver study to detect axonal sprouting --- p.19 / Chapter D. --- Chromatolysis study to prove the sprouting --- p.22 / Chapter E. --- Degenerating silver study to detect where sprouting might have come from --- p.25 / Chapter F. --- Cytochrome oxidase study to evaluate the cytochemical change of the motor neurons after hemisection --- p.28 / Chapter G. --- Labelled uptake studies to assay the biochemical changes after hemisection --- p.31 / Chapter H. --- The Raman spectroscopy study to detect proteins change after hemisection --- p.33 / Chapter I. --- Study on preferential growth sprouts into spinal cord or peripheral nerve --- p.35 / Chapter J. --- Study on target specificity of sprouting fibers --- p.37 / Chapter K. --- Study on the behavior of the hemisected rats --- p.39 / Chapter CHAPTER IV. --- RESULTS / Chapter A. --- Examination of the sprouting / Chapter 1. --- Results of the retrograde fluorescent tracer study --- p.50 / Chapter 2. --- Result of protagol silver study --- p.51 / Chapter 3. --- Result of chromatolysis study --- p.52 / Chapter 4. --- Result of degenerating silver study --- p.52 / Chapter B. --- Estimation of biochemical changes / Chapter 1. --- Result of cytochemical changes --- p.53 / Chapter 2. --- Result of labelled uptake study --- p.54 / Chapter 3. --- Result of Ramam spectroscopy study --- p.54 / Chapter C. --- Result on preferential growth of sprouts into the spinal cord or peripheral nerve --- p.55 / Chapter D. --- Result of target specificity study --- p.55 / Chapter E. --- Changes in the walking ability --- p.56 / Chapter CHAPTER V. --- Conclusion and discussion / Chapter A. --- Evaluation of the sprouting --- p.77 / Chapter B. --- Estimation on the source of sprouting --- p.79 / Chapter C. --- Evaluation of promoting effect of peripheral nerve --- p.79 / Chapter D. --- Evaluation of target specificity of sprouting --- p.80 / Chapter E. --- Analysis of functional activity of sprouting --- p.80 / Chapter F. --- Factors influencing sprouting --- p.81 / REFERENCES --- p.87 / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.95