title: The role of microstructured and interconnected pore channels in a collagen-based nerve guide on axonal regeneration in peripheral nerves.
abstract: The use of bioengineered nerve guides as alternatives for autologous nerve transplantation (ANT) is a promising strategy for the repair of peripheral nerve defects. In the present investigation, we present a collagen-based micro-structured nerve guide (Perimaix) for the repair of 2 cm rat sciatic nerve defects. Perimaix is an open-porous biodegradable nerve guide containing continuous, longitudinally orientated channels for orientated nerve growth. The effects of these nerve guides on axon regeneration by six weeks after implantation have been compared with those of ANT. Investigation of the regenerated sciatic nerve indicated that Perimaix strongly supported directed axon regeneration. When seeded with cultivated rat Schwann cells (SC), the Perimaix nerve guide was found to be almost as supportive of axon regeneration as ANT. The use of SC from transgenic green-fluorescent-protein (GFP) rats allowed us to detect the viability of donor SC at 1 week and 6 weeks after transplantation. The GFP-positive SC were aligned in a columnar fashion within the longitudinally orientated micro-channels. This cellular arrangement was not only observed prior to implantation, but also at one week and 6 weeks after implantation. It may be concluded that Perimaix nerve guides hold great promise for the repair of peripheral nerve defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Burn Center, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. abozkurt@ukaachen.de
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lassner
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Dey
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deumens
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Böcker
authors.forename: Tilman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schwendt
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Janzen
authors.forename: Christoph V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Suschek
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tolba
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sellhaus
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tholl
authors.forename: Lizette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eummelen
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schügner
authors.forename: Leon Olde
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Damink
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weis
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Brook
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pallua
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000379:methods*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D016062:Porosity / Q000187:drug effects; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000637:transplantation; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D003094:Collagen