title: Functional, electrophysiological recoveries of rats with sciatic nerve lesions following transplantation of elongated DRG cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Functional data are essential when confirming the efficacy of elongated dorsal root ganglia (DRG) cells as a substitute for autografting. We present the quantitative functional motor, electrophysiological findings of engineered DRG recipients for the first time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Elongated DRG neurons and autografts were transplanted to bridge 1-cm sciatic nerve lesions of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Motor recoveries of elongated DRG recipients (n=9), autograft recipients (n=9), unrepaired rats (n=9) and intact rats (n=6) were investigated using the angle board challenge test following 16 weeks of recovery. Electrophysiology studies were conducted to assess the functional recovery at 16 weeks. In addition, elongated DRGs were subjected to histology assessments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At threshold levels (35° angle) of the angle board challenge test, the autograft recipients', DRG recipients' and unrepaired group's performances were equal to each other and were less than the intact group (p<0.05). However, during the subthreshold (30°) angle board challenge test, the elongated DRG recipients' performance was similar to both the intact group and the autograft nerve recipients, and was better (p<0.05) than the unrepaired group. The autograft recipients' performance was similar to the unrepaired group and was significantly different (p<0.05) compared with the performance of the intact group. During electrophysiological testing, the rats with transplanted engineered DRG constructs had intact signal transmission when recorded over the lesion, while the unrepaired rats did not. It was observed that elongated DRG neurons closely resembled an autograft during histological assessments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Performances of autograft and elongated DRG construct recipients were similar. Elongated DRG neurons should be further investigated as a substitute for autografting.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Baylor Scott & White Healthcare , Temple , Texas , USA.|b Department of Surgery , Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine , Temple , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dayawansa
authors.affiliation: c Department of Neurosurgery , PLA General Hospital , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: d Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute , University of Rochester , Rochester , New York , USA.
authors.forename: Chung-Hsuan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Baylor Scott & White Healthcare , Temple , Texas , USA.|b Department of Surgery , Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine , Temple , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Binu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tharakan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Baylor Scott & White Healthcare , Temple , Texas , USA.|b Department of Surgery , Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine , Temple , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Jason H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin
keywords: DRG:dorsal root ganglia; DRG; nerve elongation; Peripheral nerve injury; SD: Sprague Dawley; functional recovery