Efficient bridging of 20 mm rat sciatic nerve lesions with a longitudinally micro-structured collagen scaffold.
An increasing number of biomaterial nerve guides has been developed that await direct comparative testing with the 'gold-standard' autologous nerve graft in functional repair of peripheral nerve defects. In the present study, 20 mm rat sciatic nerve defects were bridged with either a collagen-based micro-structured nerve guide (Perimaix) or an autologous nerve graft. Axons regenerated well into the Perimaix scaffold and, the majority of these axons grew across the 20 mm defect into the distal nerve segment. In fact, both the total axon number and the number of retrogradely traced somatosensory and motor neurons extending their axons across the implant was similar between Perimaix and autologous nerve graft groups. Implantation of Schwann cell-seeded Perimaix scaffolds provided only a beneficial effect on myelination within the scaffold. Functional recovery supported by the implanted, non-seeded Perimaix scaffold was as good as that observed after the autologous nerve graft, despite the presence of thinner myelin sheaths in the Perimaix implanted nerves. These findings support the potential of the Perimaix collagen scaffold as a future off-the-shelf device for clinical applications in selected cases of traumatic peripheral nerve injury.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Burn Center, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; Department of Plastic & Aesthetic, Reconstructive & Hand Surgery, Agaplesion Markus Hospital, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.
A
A
Bozkurt
Department of Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Burn Center, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
A
A
Boecker
Department of Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Burn Center, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
J
J
Tank
Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, Evangelic Hospital Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany.
H
H
Altinova
Neuropharmacology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
R
R
Deumens
Department of Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Burn Center, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
C
C
Dabhi
Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
R
R
Tolba
Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Germany.
J
J
Weis
Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Germany.
G A
GA
Brook
Department of Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Burn Center, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
N
N
Pallua
Department of Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Burn Center, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: s.vanneerven@gmail.com.
S G A
SGA
van Neerven
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D034421:Sus scrofa; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
D003094:Collagen
Autologous nerve transplantation; Cross-linking; Epineurium; Nerve guide; Nerve reconstruction; Neurotmesis; Perineurium; Peripheral nerve injury