Figure 6

Schematic drawing of the avulsion and acute reimplantation model. A unilateral avulsion of the C7-C8 ventral roots (A) and implantation of the avulsed C7-C8 ventral root into the ventrolateral surface of spinal cord between the C7 and C8 segments (C). The ventral roots were avulsed and the proximal residual rootlets, as well as the distal parts of the C7 and C8 avulsed roots, were cut away to ensure that spinal MNs would not regrow axons into the C7 and C8 nerves in avulsion rats (B). The avulsed roots were carefully placed and attached onto the ventrolateral surface of spinal cord pia mater (D).