Comparison of Schwann cells and olfactory ensheathing cells for peripheral nerve gap bridging.
BACKGROUND
Previously, we introduced the biogenic conduit (BC) as a novel autologous nerve conduit for bridging peripheral nerve defects and tested its regenerative capacity in a short- and long-term setting. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether intraluminal application of regeneration-promoting glial cells, including Schwann cells (SC) and olfactory ensheathing cells (OEC), displayed differential effects after sciatic nerve gap bridging.


METHODS
BCs were generated as previously described. The conduits filled with fibrin/SC (n = 8) and fibrin/OEC (n = 8) were compared to autologous nerve transplants (NT; n = 8) in the 15-mm sciatic nerve gap lesion model of the rat. The sciatic functional index was evaluated every 4 weeks. After 16 weeks, histological evaluation followed regarding nerve area, axon number, myelination index and N ratio.


RESULTS
Common to all groups was a continual improvement in motor function during the observation period. Recovery was significantly better after SC transplantation compared to OEC (p < 0.01). Both cell transplantation groups showed significantly worse function than the NT group (p < 0.01). Whereas nerve area and axon number were correlated to function, being significantly lowest in the OEC group (p < 0.001), both cell groups showed lowered myelination (p < 0.001) and lower N ratio compared to the NT group.


CONCLUSIONS
SC-filled BCs led to improved regeneration compared to OEC-filled BCs in a 15-mm-long nerve gap model of the rat.
Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. vincenzo.penna@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Vincenzo
V
Penna
G-Bjoern
GB
Stark
Konstantin
K
Wewetzer
Christine
C
Radtke
Eva M
EM
Lang
D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D009832:Olfactory Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D014162:Transfection