The effect of endothelial cell growth factor on peripheral nerve regeneration.
Neural regeneration after grafting can be unpredictable. In an effort to enhance the return of function after cable grafting, we studied the effects of an angiogenic factor, endothelial cell growth factor (ECGF), on regenerating nerves. Cable grafts on the sciatic nerve were established in 18 rats and treated with ECGF or a control saline solution. At 5 weeks, nerve conduction studies were performed, and the animals were killed for histologic measurements of graft vascularity and axon counts. A significant increase in vascularity was noted in the treated group versus the control group; neither the axon counts nor the nerve conduction velocities differed significantly between the two groups, although the treated group appeared to show improved neural conduction compared with the control group.
Smith
M S
MS
Department of Otolaryngology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1034, USA.
Browne
J D
JD
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery
D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors