title: Functional recovery of sciatic nerve through inside-out vein graft in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Present study aimed at further comprehensive functional, histomorphometrical and immunohistochemical assessment of peripheral nerve regeneration using rat sciatic nerve transection model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 10-mm rat sciatic nerve gap was created in rats. In control group nerve stumps were sutured to adjacent muscle and in treatment group the gap was bridged using an inside-out vein graft. In sham-operated group the nerve was manipulated and left intact. All animals underwent walking track analysis test 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery. Subsequently, muscle mass measurement was performed to assess reenervation, histological examination to observe the sciatic nerve regeneration morphologically and immunohistochemistry to detect Schwann cells using anti S-100. Results were analyzed using a factorial ANOVA with two between-subjects factors. Bonferroni test for pairwise comparisons was used to examine the effect of treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Functional analysis of myelinated nerve fibers showed that nerve function improved significantly in the time course in treatment group. However, quantitative morphometrical analysis of myelinated nerve fibers showed that there was no significant difference between 8 and 12 weeks in treatment group. Muscle weight ratio was bigger and weight loss of the gastrocnemius muscle was ameliorated by inside-out vein grafting. The position of positive immunohistochemical reactions further implied that regenerated axons and Schwann cell-like cells existed after vein grafting was performed, and was accompanied by the process of myelination and structural recovery of regenerated nerves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional analysis of peripheral nerve repair is far more reliable than quantitative morphometrical analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Nazloo Road, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Rahim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.forename: Nowruz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Delirezh
authors.forename: Rahim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hobbenaghi
authors.forename: Keyvan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D051381:Rats; D020127:Recovery of Function; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014680:Veins / Q000637:transplantation
chemical_list: D009418:S100 Proteins