title: Sensory recovery after cell therapy in peripheral nerve repair: effects of naïve and skin precursor-derived Schwann cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cell therapy is a promising candidate among biological or technological innovations sought to augment microsurgical techniques in peripheral nerve repair. This report describes long-term functional regenerative effects of cell therapy in the rat injury model with a focus on sensory recovery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Schwann cells were derived from isogenic nerve or skin precursor cells and injected into the transected and immediately repaired sciatic nerve distal to the injury site. Sensory recovery was assessed at weeks 4, 7, and 10. Axonal regeneration was assessed at Week 11.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By Week 10, thermal sensitivity in cell therapy groups returned to a level indistinguishable from the baseline (p > 0.05). Immunohistochemistry at 11 weeks after injury showed improved regeneration of NF+ and IB4+ axons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study show that cell therapy significantly improves thermal sensation and the number of regenerated sensory neurons at 11 weeks after injury. These findings contribute to the view of skin-derived stem cells as a reliable source of Schwann cells with therapeutic potential for functional recovery in damaged peripheral nerve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine.
authors.forename: Antos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shakhbazau
authors.forename: Chandan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.forename: Ranjan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Midha
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008297:Male; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013697:Thermosensing / Q000502:physiology
keywords: CMAP = compound muscle action potential; IB4 = isolectin B4; NCV = nerve conduction velocity; PBS = phosphate-buffered saline; PFA = paraformaldehyde; SC medium = Schwann cell medium; SKP = skin precursor; SKP-SC = SKP-derived Schwann cell; Schwann cells; cell therapy; nSC = nerve Schwann cell; peripheral nerve; regeneration; skin precursors; stem cells; thermal sensitivity