[Repair of peripheral nerve gap with the use of tissue engineering scaffold complex].
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.
Wang
Wei
W
Department of Brain Protection, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
Fan
Ming
M
Zhi
Xiao-dong
XD
Liu
Shu-hong
SH
Liu
Pin-duan
PD
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*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D012685:Sepharose; D048271:Chitosan