Injuries to the central nervous system (CNS) result in virtually irreversible neurologic deficits compared to the peripheral nervous system (PNS) where injuries may be followed by some functional recovery. This sharp difference in the regenerative capacity of CNS and PNS is attributed to intrinsic properties of the injured neurons, and the glial cells, specifically the Schwann cell of PNS and the oligodendrocyte of CNS. The myriad of cellular and molecular changes that result following nerve injury are intimately related to whether a regenerative-permissive environment is provided to injured neurons. In this review, we highlight some of the key injury-related cell-molecular changes that are triggered in neurons and glia and how these changes may be related to the promotion of axonal regeneration of injured PNS compared to CNS.
Biomedical Reviews 2003; 14: 51-62.
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