Figure 3. Loss of ATF3 function delays functional recovery following sciatic nerve crush. A, B, The rate of functional recovery (nocifensive reflex withdrawal to a toe pinch and presence of any grasping ability) was reduced in mice lacking both wild-type ATF3 alleles (log rank Mantel–Cox test). Haploinsufficiency was also suggested by the statistically-significant trend from wild-type to homozygous knock-in (log rank Mantel–Cox test), n = 7, n = 9, and n = 8 for ATF3+/+, ATF3+/cre, and ATF3cre/cre, respectively. C, Representative EMG traces from ipsilateral and contralateral sides of an ATF3+/+ mouse 28 d after sciatic nerve crush, and composite traces from seven ATF3+/+ mice and seven ATF3cre/cre mice. D, EMG thresholds did not differ between genotypes (paired t test). E, F, While absolute latencies and amplitudes did not differ between genotypes (paired t test), their ipsilateral/contralateral ratios (correcting for mouse size) indicated reduced conduction velocity (E) and extent of reinnervation (F) in mice lacking one or both wild-type ATF3 alleles (unpaired t test), n = 6, n = 7, and n = 6 for ATF3+/+, ATF3+/cre, and ATF3cre/cre, respectively.