The Repairing Effect of Acellular Nerve Allograft Transplanted with Cultured Schwann Cells on the Sciatic Nerve Gap of Rat

Objective To observe the effect of acellular nerve allograft transplanted with cultured Schwann cells bridging the sciatic nerve gap of rat.Methods Schwann cells(SCs) were isolated from neonatal rats and enzymatically digested with collagenase and dispase in vitro.SCs were microinjected into 10mm long acellular rat sciatic nerve(ARSN) which bridging a surgically created gap on the rat sciatic nerve.The morphology,number of myelinated fibers and mean thickness of myelin sheath of regenerated nerves were observed by light microscope,transmission electron microscope(TEM) and scanning electron microscope(SEM).Results Bungner strip like cell-chain array of SCs was observed in regenerated never fibers by TEM and SEM in experimental group,but not observed in control group.There was significant difference in the number of myelinated fibers and mean thickness of myelin sheath of regenerated nerves fibers between ARSN with SCs and ARSN(P0.05).Conclusion The acellular nerve allografts transplanted with SCs could significantly promote the regeneration of injured sciatic nerve.