The effect of four types of artificial nerve graft structures on the repair of 10‐mm rat sciatic nerve gap

Abstract

Investigating the effect of four types of artificial nerve graft (ANG) structures on rat sciatic nerve defect repair will aid future ANG designs. In this study, fibroin fibers and polylactic acid were used to prepare four ANGs with differing structures: nerve conduit with micron‐sized pores (Conduit with pore group), nerve conduit without micron‐sized pores (Conduit group), nerve scaffold comprising Conduit with pore group material plus silk fibers (Scaffold with pore group), and nerve scaffold comprising Conduit group material plus silk fibers (Scaffold group). ANGs or autologous nerves (Autologous group) were implanted into 10 mm rat sciatic nerve defects (n = 50 per group). Twenty weeks after nerve grafting, the time required to retract the surgical limb from the hot water was ranked as follows: Conduit with pore group > Scaffold with pore group > Conduit group > Scaffold group > Autologous group. The static sciatic index was ranked in descending order: Autologous group > Scaffold group > Conduit group > Scaffold with pore group > Conduit with pore group. Immunofluorescence staining identified significant differences in the distribution and number of axons, Schwann cells, and fibroblasts. These findings indicate that ANGs with micron‐sized pores had a negative impact on the repair of peripheral nerve defects, while internal microchannels were beneficial. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 3077–3085, 2017.

Biomimetic Photocurable Three-Dimensional Printed Nerve Guidance Channels with Aligned Cryomatrix Lumen for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

“…Previous studies have also shown that cellular behavior was directly influenced by the presence of microenvironment within the nerve conduits, and enhanced nerve functionality was obtained in filled conduits in comparison to the hollow nerve conduits. 48 The functional recovery can also be seen by visual observation of the toe spreading (Figure 3j−l), which was significant in case of the aCG + NGF-implanted group compared to that of the autografts group. No such toe spreading was observed for the negative control group.…”

“…Moreover, lumen-filled NGCs performed better than HCs as they provide a matrix for native cells attachment, proliferation, and directional growth. Previous studies have also shown that cellular behavior was directly influenced by the presence of microenvironment within the nerve conduits, and enhanced nerve functionality was obtained in filled conduits in comparison to the hollow nerve conduits . The functional recovery can also be seen by visual observation of the toe spreading (Figure j–l), which was significant in case of the aCG + NGF-implanted group compared to that of the autografts group.…”

A conductive sodium alginate and carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel doped with polypyrrole for peripheral nerve regeneration

“…Therefore, in the eld of nerve repair, all researches need to be restored to the best direction and minimize negative effects. 23,24 In this study, a SA/CMCS/PPy conductive hydrogel was fabricated. SA and CMCS were crosslinked by Ca 2+ , and PPy was doped in the ECM-mimicked SA/CMCS structure.…”

“…Therefore, in the field of nerve repair, all researches need to be restored to the best direction and minimize negative effects. 23,24 …”

Repairing peripheral nerve defects with revascularized tissue‐engineered nerve based on a vascular endothelial growth factor‐heparin sustained release system

“…In recent years, tissue engineering has developed rapidly, and many scholars have used tissue‐engineered peripheral nerves to repair and reconstruct nerve defects (Gao et al, 2015; Marconi et al, 2012; Zhou et al, 2017). In our previous studies (Zhao et al, 2013; Ma, Sun, et al, 2011; Ma, Yang, et al, 2011), our research group improved the preparation of acellular nerve scaffolds using a hypotonic buffer technique combined with freeze‐drying.…”