Traumatic lesions to the spinal cord of adult individuals will cause degeneration of the severed distal axons, retraction of the severed proximal axons, scar formation in the damaged area, and eventually regenerative signs, which will occur along the retracted proximal axons. Growth cone-like appendages appear and regenerating axons enter the scar tissue. Within the relatively unstructured scar tissue the growth cones appear to lose their sense of direction, as well as their motive force, and progress ceases. The regenerative effort does not result in the establishment of any connection.
Biomedical Reviews 1995; 4: 95-102.
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