title: Morphology of nerve fiber regeneration along a biodegradable poly (DLLA-epsilon-CL) nerve guide filled with fresh skeletal muscle.
abstract: Previous morphological and morphometrical studies showed that fresh-skeletal-muscle-enriched vein segments are good conduits for leading peripheral nerve regeneration. In the present study, we investigated the morphological features of peripheral nerve fibers regenerated along a 10-mm-long biodegradable poly (DLLA-epsilon-CL) nerve guide enriched with fresh skeletal muscle, comparing them to nerve fiber regeneration along 10-mm-long phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-enriched poly (DLLA-epsilon-CL) tubes. Repaired nerves were analyzed at weeks 6 and 24 postoperatively. Structural and ultrastructural observation showed that good nerve fiber regeneration occurred in both PBS-enriched and fresh-skeletal-muscle-enriched nerve guides, and histomorphometrical analysis of regenerated myelinated fibers revealed no statistically significant differences between the two experimental groups at week 24 after surgery. The employment of fresh-muscle-enriched conduits for the repair of nerve defects is critically discussed in the light of these results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Veterinary Clinics, CETAV, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal. avarejao@utad.pt
authors.forename: Artur S P
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Varejão
authors.forename: António M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cabrita
authors.forename: Marcel F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Meek
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornaro
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geuna
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Giacobini-Robecchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D011091:Polyesters; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C062968:lactide-caprolactone copolymer