[Protection effect of nerve implantation after peripheral nerve injury to rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the protection effect of nerve implantation to the neurons after sciatic nerve injury to adult rats.


METHODS
Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 180 - 220 g (8 - 9 weeks of age) were randomly divided into four groups. Group A consisted of normal rats without operation. In group B, the sciatic nerve of rats was transected, with the proximal stump of the sciatic nerve ligated to inhibit nerve regeneration. In group C, a sciatic nerve crushed model was set up. In group D, a sciatic nerve implantation model was established. The rats were sacrificed on postoperative days 7, 14 and 28 respectively. The L(4)-L(6) segments of the spinal cord were harvested. TUNEL technique was used to detect apoptotic motor neurons. HE and Toluidine Blue staining was used for counting motor neurons.


RESULTS
The apoptotic neurons detected on the 28th postoperative day were significantly fewer in the implantation group than in the other groups (P < 0.05). The number of motor neurons was significantly higher in the implantation group than in other two control groups (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Nerve implantation exerts protective effect on neurons after nerve injury.
Zhao
Dewei
D
Department of Orthopeadics, Fourth Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116001, China.
Wang
Weiming
W
Kang
Kaifu
K
Jing
Tuo
T
Wang
Tienan
T
Yu
Xiaoguang
X
Yang
Lei
L
Cui
Xu
X
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D016067:Nerve Transfer; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley