Morphology of nerve fiber regeneration along a biodegradable poly (DLLA-epsilon-CL) nerve guide filled with fresh skeletal muscle.
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.
Varejão
Artur S P
AS
Department of Pathology and Veterinary Clinics, CETAV, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal. avarejao@utad.pt
Cabrita
António M
AM
Meek
Marcel F
MF
Fornaro
Michele
M
Geuna
Stefano
S
Giacobini-Robecchi
Maria G
MG
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
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C062968:lactide-caprolactone copolymer