title: The use of cultured Schwann cells in nerve repair in a rabbit hind-limb model.
abstract: A 3-cm peripheral nerve gap in a rabbit hind-limb model was repaired by using a polyglycolic acid (PGA) conduit filled with a gelatin/Schwann-cell suspension. Postoperative nerve function after 16 weeks, as measured by isometric twitch and tetanic muscle strengths, and nerve conduction velocities, failed to demonstrate a statistically significant difference, compared to a control group in which the nerve gap was reconstructed by using a PGA conduit filled with gelatin only. The 3-cm gap in the described model may not have been long enough to show a significant difference between the two groups. Alternatively, the transferred cultured Schwann cells may have been functionally inactive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield 62702-9230, USA.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erdmann
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suchy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006614:Hindlimb; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D011817:Rabbits; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000637:transplantation*
chemical_list: D011100:Polyglycolic Acid