Figure 1.
Representative gelatin zymograms showing gelatinase levels in the sham-operated and injured spinal cord.
A
, No MMP-2 is detected in wild-type animals receiving only laminectomy or within the lesion epicenter 3 d after injury.
B
, However, MMP-2 expression is apparent in lesion epicenters of wild-type mice 7 and 14 d after injury. As expected, no MMP-2 is detected in MMP-2 null mice at 3, 7, or 14 d after spinal cord injury. The MMP-9 level is upregulated in the injured spinal cord of MMP-2 null mice relative to the wild-type mice at 3, 7, and 14 d after injury. Sham, Wild-type animals receiving only laminectomy; WT, wild-type mice; Null, MMP-2 null.