Application of Rho antagonist to neuronal cell bodies promotes neurite growth in compartmented cultures and regeneration of retinal ganglion cell axons in the optic nerve of adult rats.

Inactivation of Rho promotes neurite growth on inhibitory substrates and axon regeneration in vivo. Here, we compared axon growth when neuronal cell bodies or injured axons were treated with a cell-permeable Rho antagonist (C3-07) in vitro and in vivo. In neurons plated in compartmented cultures, application of C3-07 to either cell bodies or distal axons promoted axonal growth on myelin-associated glycoprotein substrates.