A method of inhibiting and/or reducing the activity, signaling, and/or function of leukocyte-common antigen related (LAR) family of phosphatases in a cell of a subject induced by proteoglycans includes administering to the cell a therapeutic agent that inhibits one or more of catalytic activity, signaling, and function of the LAR family phosphatases without inhibiting binding to or activation the LAR family phosphatases by the proteoglycans.