Abstract: Objective　To investigate the relationship between expression of phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (pEGFR) and  neural function recovery after decompression of compressed spinal cord injury(CSCI) in rats and clarify its possible mechanisms.　Methods　The CSCI model was established. The neural function recovery after decompression  were monitored by the Basso, Beattie &Bresnahan(BBB) locomotor rating scale;  the expression of pEGFR, total-caspase-3, active-caspase-3 were detected by Western blot; pEGFR+-NG2+(NG2+ cells are precursors to oligodendrocytes)，active-caspase-3+-NG2+ cells were detected by double-labeling immunefluorescence assay.　Results　The BBB scores gradually increased with time after decompression of CSCI. Meanwhile, the expression of pEGFR, number of pEGFR+-NG2+ cells were up-regulated and reached the peak at day 14, consistent with the changes of motor functions. total-caspase-3, active-caspase-3 and caspase-3-NG2+ cells immediately reached the peak after decompression and gradually decreased with time. After intraperitoneal injection of pEGFR inhibitor for 14 days, expression of pEGFR and BBB scores of rats were significantly lower than those of group without pEGFR inhibitor injection. The expression of total-caspase-3, active-caspase-3, caspase-3-NG2+ cells significantly increased.　Conclusions　The expression of pEGFR is related to process of neural function recovery after decompression of CSCI in rats, and its mechanism may be due to the involvement of pEGFR in the regulation of Caspase-3 signaling pathway.

Key words: Compressed Spinal Cord injury; ,  , Neural function recovery; ,  , pEGFR; ,  , Caspase-3