Rapid repair of rat sciatic nerve injury using a nanosilver-embedded collagen scaffold coated with laminin and fibronectin

Aim: Scaffold with micro-channels has shown great promise in facilitating axonal regeneration after peripheral nerve injury. Significant research has focused on mimicking, in terms of composition and function, the ability of the basement membrane of Schwann cells to both promote and guide axonal regeneration. We aim to investigate the ability of a tissue-engineered scaffold with nanosilver and collagen to adsorb laminin and fibronectin, and the usefulness of this scaffold for repairing and regenerating a 10-mm peripheral nerve gap in rats. Methods: In this study, nanosilver-embedded collagen scaffolds were prepared and coated with laminin (LN) or LN plus fibronectin (FN). Scanning electron microscopy of the transverse and longitudinal sections of the scaffold revealed axially oriented microtubules ranging from 20 to 80 µm in diameter, and the internal surface of microtubules was found to be evenly coated with LN and FN. Energy dispersive spectrometry also confirmed an even distribution of nanosilver parti...