Figure 1

Genes exhibiting a significant change in expression post-axotomy. The expression profiles illustrate the normalized -ΔΔCp expression values compared to controls, with low expression values being represented by green and high expression in red. Significant changes in expression were determined using a 2-factor ANOVA, and then cluster analysis to reveal patterns in the expression profiles 3-days, 1-week, 2-weeks, and 4-weeks post-low thoracic spinal transection, numbered 1-4, respectively. As illustrated in this heat map, 19/27 genes exhibited an immediate down-regulation following axotomy. 18/19 genes remained down-regulated following axotomy except Casp2 which exhibited a slow return to baseline level at 1-month post-injury (column 4). Only two genes, Actb and Nrap, both of which are actin-cytoskeletal related, exhibited an up-regulation following axotomy which was maintained throughout the interval examined. The remaining 6 genes, Stat1, Frs2, Hspb1, Tgfa, Npy1r, and Tgfb1, either exhibited no response, or an up-regulation following axotomy, followed by a significant down-regulation by 2-weeks post-injury (column 3).