Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2011, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (34): 6315-6318.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2011.34.011

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Allogeneic nerve complex for repair of peripheral nerve defects in rabbits

Yang Xiao-hua1, Han Jin-bao2, Zhang Chen-bing2, Tian De-hu2, Han Jiu-hui2   

  1. 1Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College, Chengde  067000, Hebei Province, China
    2Department of Hand Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang  050051, Hebei Province, China
  • Received:2010-12-15 Revised:2011-02-24 Online:2011-08-20 Published:2011-08-20
  • Contact: Han Jin-bao, Professor, Master’s supervisor, Department of Hand Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050051, Hebei Province, China hanjinbao1952@yahoo.com.cn
  • About author:Yang Xiao-hua★, Master, Associate chief surgeon, Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College, Chengde 067000, Hebei Province, China cyfyyangxiaohua@163.com

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Acellular nerve graft with Schwann cells is used to repair peripheral nerve defects and have a better role in nerve regeneration and functional recovery with little immunogenicity.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of immune cells surrounding the nerve graft as well as functional recovery after acellular nerve graft with Schwann cells for repair of peripheral nerve defects.
METHODS: Forty-eight adult healthy New-Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups with 24 rabbits each group, based on different grafts. The bridging complex was composed of Schwann cells transplanted into the acellular nerve graft. The sciatic nerve of lower left limb was cut in order to emerge 2 cm nerve defect. Only acellular nerve graft was applied in the control group. The infiltrating of immune cells in the muscle tissue around allografts of the rabbit was observed after 1, 4 and 8 weeks, further, to count the amount of immune cells in each high power field. The ulcers on the feet of the rabbit and sciatic nerve regeneration were also observed at 4, 8 and 16 weeks after operation. The conducted velocity of the regenerated nerve was examined by the electrophysiological indices.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After operation, the immunological rejection was not found in the operating field. The experimental group was better than the control group in the healing of ulcers. There were lots of lympholeukocytes and macrophages in the muscle tissue around the transplanted sciatic nerve after 1 week. There were obviously more lympholeukocytes and macrophages in the experimental group than the control group (P < 0.05). They decreased after 4 weeks in two groups, they decreased more seriously in the experimental group, and obviously decreased after 8 weeks. There was significant difference between the experimental group and the control group after 1 week, but, there was not different after 4 weeks and 8 weeks. After 4 weeks, the conducted velocity of the regenerated nerve was not different between two groups. But at 8 and 16 weeks after operation, the experimental group had a better conducted velocity than the control group (P < 0.05). The acellular nerve allografts with Schwann cells could significantly promote nerve regeneration and functional recovery of injured sciatic nerve. Its immunogenicity is extraordinarily low.

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