title: Nanofiber scaffolds facilitate functional regeneration of peripheral nerve injury.
abstract: Peripheral nerve injury still remains a refractory challenge for both clinical and basic researchers. A novel nanofiber conduit made of blood vessel and filled with amphiphilic hydrogel of self-assembling nanofiber scaffold (SAPNS) was implanted to repair a 10 mm nerve gap after sciatic nerve transection. Empty blood vessel conduit was implanted serving as control. Results showed that this novel nanofiber conduit enabled the peripheral axons to regenerate across and beyond the 10 mm gap. Motoneuron protection, axonal regeneration and remyelination were significantly enhanced with SAPNS scaffold treatments. The target reinnervation and functional recovery induced by the regenerative nerve conduit suggest that SAPNS-based conduit is highly promising application in the treatment of peripheral nerve defect.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In this paper by Zhan et al, a novel self-assembling nanofiber scaffold is reported to promote regeneration of peripheral nerves in a sciatic nerve injury model. The promising results and the obvious medical need raises hope for a clinical translation of this approach hopefully in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoduo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Mingyong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yanwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wai Man
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Qiuju
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Huanxing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Wenying
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiasong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Wutian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D005260:Female; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009043:Motor Activity; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*