Construction of tissue-engineered nerves with degradable polylactic acid tube and Schwann cells derived from bone marrow stromal stem cells

Jian SHANG; Shaohui YUAN

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Schwann cells are the only glial cells in the peripheral nervous system and play an important role in the regeneration of peripheral nerves, while they have poor proliferation capacity and decreased activity, need allografts, and are difficult to culture in vitro.

OBJECTIVE:

To analyze the feasibility of repairing neurologic defects with tissue-engineered nerves constructed with Schwann cells derived from bone marrow stromal stem cells. DESIGN, TIME AND

SETTING:

Randomized controlled observation was conducted at Heilongiiang Institute of Veterinary Pharmaceutics between March 2004 and April 2005.MATERIALS Twenty-four 8-weck-old female Wistar rats were used to establish animal models with 10 nun defect of sciatic nerve.

METHODS:

Twenty-four rats were divided into 3 groups by random digits table, tissue-engineered nerve group, polylactic acid robe group and autologons nerve group, with 8 rats in each group. Tissue-engineered nerve group tissue-engineered nerve Was used to bridge neurologic defect, which was constructed with Schwann cells derived from bone marrow stromal stem cells, natural extracelhilar matrix gel and degradable polylactic acid tube. Polylactic acid robe group injecting extracellular matrix gel into degradable polylactic acid tube to bridge neurologic defect. Autologous nerve group 10 mm of nerve was cut and performed end-to-end anastomosis after revolving 180 degrees. MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Functional recovery of sciatic nerve was detected with electrophysiological observation of nerve, and histological observation and axon count of the newly generated nerve tissue at 12 weeks after transplantation.

RESULTS:

After introduction, adult bone marrow stromal stem cells had the morphology and properties of Schwann cells. The regenerated nerve had grown to the distal end passing through the defect at 12 weeks after transplantation. The detection indexes in the tissue-engineered nerve group and autologous nerve group were better than that in the polylactic acid tube group (P < 0.05), there were no significant differences between the tissue-engineered nerve group and autoiogous nerve group (P < 0.05); The degradation and absorption of polylactic acid tube were obvious in the tissue-engineered nerve group and autologous nerve group.

CONCLUSION:

Human bone marrow stromal stem cells can be induced to differentiate into Schwann cells in vitro, and tissue-engineered nerve constructed with Schwann cells, extracellular matrix and degradable polylactic acid tube can repair peripheral neurologic defect.