title: Neuregulin 1 functionalization of organic fibers for Schwann cell guidance.
abstract: The repair of peripheral nerve lesions is a clinical problem where the functional recovery is often far from being satisfactory, although peripheral nerves generally retain good potential for regeneration. Here, we develop a novel scaffold approach based on bioactive fibers of poly(ε-caprolactone) where nanotopographical guidance and neuregulin 1 (NRG1) cues are combined. We interface them with rat primary Schwann cells (SCs), the peripheral glial cells that drive initial regeneration of injured nerves, and found that the combination of NRG1 with parallel nano-fibrous topographies is effective in improving SC growth up to 72 h, alignment to fiber topography, and bipolar differentiation, opening original perspectives for nerve repair applications.
authors.affiliation: NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR and Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza San Silvestro 12, Pisa I-56127, Italy. Fondazione Umberto Veronesi, Piazza Velasca 5, Milan I-20122, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tonazzini
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moffa
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pisignano
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cecchini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020890:Neuregulin-1; C490580:Nrg1 protein, rat; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone