Pores in synthetic nerve conduits are beneficial to regeneration

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2007

Authors

Vleggeert Lankamp, CLAM (Author) Other; de Ruiter, GCW (Author) Other; Wolfs, JFC (Author) Other; Pego, AP (Author) FEUP; van den Berg, RJ (Author) Other; Feirabend, HKP (Author) Other; Malessy, MJA (Author) Other; Lakke, EAJF (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part A

Vol. 80A

Pages: 965-982

ISSN: 1549-3296

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 50 Citations

Scopus - 60 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Environmental biotechnology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-008-NGV

DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.30941

Abstract (EN): Current opinion holds that pores in synthetic nerve guides facilitate nerve regeneration. Solid factual support for this opinion, however, is absent; most of the relevant studies assessed only morphological parameters and results have been contradictory. To evaluate the effect of pores, the rat sciatic nerve was either auto-grafted or grafted with nonporous, macroporous (10-230 mu m), and microporous (1-10 mu m) biodegradable epsilon-caprolactone grafts. Twelve weeks later, the grafted nerves were resected, and the electrophysiological properties were determined in vitro. Subsequently midgraft-level sections were inspected, and peroneal nerve sections were evaluated morphometrically. Finally, the gastrocnemic and tibial muscle morphometrical properties were quantified. The microporous nerve graft performed much better than the nonporous and macroporous grafts with respect to most parameters: it was bridged by a free floating bundle that contained myelinated nerve fibers, there were more nerve fibers present distal to the graft, the electrophysiological response rate was higher, and the decrease in muscle cross-sectional area was markedly smaller. Hence, the present study demonstrates the beneficial effect of synthetic nerve guide pores on nerve regeneration, although with the caveat that not pores per se, but only small (1-10 mu m) pores were effective. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 18