title: [Repair of peripheral nerve gap with the use of tissue engineering scaffold complex].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the feasibility to repair the peripheral nerve gap with tissue engineering scaffold complex that is composed of medical biodegradable material agarose hydrogel and nerve growth factor (NGF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Chitosan tube containing agarose hydrogel and NGF was transplanted to bridge a 10 mm gap of injured sciatic nerve in rat. Chitosan duct without agarose hydrogel and NGF was used as negative control, while autograft nerve as positive control. Sixteen weeks after operation, the regeneration of nerve fiber was observed with morphological and immunohistochemistrical methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number and diameter of regenerating nerve fibers bridged by the scaffold complex of agarose hydrogel and NGF were better than negative control group (P < 0.01) and reached the level of autograft nerve group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new type of tissue engineering scaffold complex of agarose hydrogel and NGF may provide a microenvironment, as well as autograft nerve, to promote nerve regeneration. This technique may benefit patients with nerve injury in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Xiao-dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.forename: Shu-hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Pin-duan
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D048271:Chitosan; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012685:Sepharose; D015607:Stents; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D012685:Sepharose; D048271:Chitosan