Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Hair follicle stem cells are multipotent which can differentiate into neurons and repair injured peripheral nerves.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of hair follicle stem cells on repair of injured sciatic nerve.
METHODS: Hair follicle stem cells were isolated and cultured in vitro. Thirty-six healthy rats were selected to prepare sciatic nerve crush injury models with clamping method. Subsequently, rats were randomly divided into a transplantation group and a control group, with eighteen rats in each group. Rats in the transplantation group underwent transplantation of 50 μL of hair follicle stem cells at a concentration of 106/L into nerve injured sites. At the same time, equal amount of PBS was injected into the rats in the control group.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Nestin, CK19, anti-integrin beta 1 positive cells could be found at injured nerve in the transplantation group 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. Sciatic nerve function indices in the transplantation group superiorly recovered to those in the control group 3-6 weeks after surgery. Hair follicle stem cells transplanted into injured nerve tissue promote the recovery of injured sciatic nerve.