Regeneration of ventral root axons into dorsal roots as shown by increased acetylcholinesterase activity.

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AbstractRegeneration of ventral root axons of the lumbar seventh (L7) segment into the dorsal L7 roots on the opposite side of cat spinal cord was shown by changes in the levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and pseudocholinesterase (PsChE). Low levels of AChE and PsChE were found in control dorsal roots, but when regenerating ventral root fibers entered the dorsal roots, there was a doubling of AChE activity within 2 weeks. Growth appears to start some time after the first week; this is in accord with earlier evidence based on axoplasmic flow of isotope labeled protein in this experimental preparation.The level of AChE activity in the reinnervated dorsal roots increased continually for about 100 days before reaching a plateau at approximately 20 × control levels. The gradual increase and the plateau of AChE activity is in accord with a maturation of the ventral root fibers which had regenerated into the dorsal roots. PsChE in the dorsal roots changes in parallel with AChE in a ratio of 1:10, suggesting that PsChE may in part be localized in the regenerating axons.