Figure 3

Comparative gene expression analysis by High-Throughput GoMiner of spinal cord samples from G93A-SOD1 and WT rats subjected to a mild compression SCI. The heat chart displays the Gene ontology (GO) categories (grouped into main functional headings) computed by High Throughput GoMiner computational analysis of the differentially expressed genes identified in spinal cord from WT and G93A-SOD1 rats after compression SCI, using naive (10 week old) spinal cord tissue from rats of the same genetic type as reference. High Throughput GoMiner defines the biological significance of the gene expression changes according to a multilayered process of statistical processing. GO categories are selected on the basis of their high level of enrichment of the differentially expressed genes, using a false discovery rate correction (FDR) cut off of <0.05. FDR introduces a multiple comparisons correction, allowing the exclusion of those gene categories that would appear enriched simply by chance. Functionally similar GO categories are grouped within the same heading and reported as up-regulated predominantly in G93A-SOD1 spinal cord (A, ↑G93A-SOD1), in WT spinal cord (B. ↑WT), down-regulated in G93A-SOD1 spinal cord (C. ↓G93A-SOD1) and in WT spinal cord (D. ↓WT). The various levels of significance of differential regulation for each gene category are represented in the heat-chart with different colour codes (the correlation between colour codes and FDR values is reported at the bottom of the heat-chart). G93A-SOD1/WT column: Comparison between the gene expression profiles of spinal cord samples from G93A-SOD1 and WT naïve rats (10 week of age).