Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Combining Peripheral Nerve Grafting and Matrix Modulation to Repair the Injured Rat Spinal Cord
Published on: November 20, 2009
[Repair of peripheral nerve gap with the use of tissue engineering scaffold complex]
Wei Wang1, Ming Fan, Xiao-dong Zhi
1Department of Brain Protection, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
Objective:
To study the feasibility to repair the peripheral nerve gap with tissue engineering scaffold complex that is composed of medical biodegradable material agarose hydrogel and nerve growth factor (NGF).
Methods:
Chitosan tube containing agarose hydrogel and NGF was transplanted to bridge a 10 mm gap of injured sciatic nerve in rat. Chitosan duct without agarose hydrogel and NGF was used as negative control, while autograft nerve as positive control. Sixteen weeks after operation, the regeneration of nerve fiber was observed with morphological and immunohistochemistrical methods.
Result:
The number and diameter of regenerating nerve fibers bridged by the scaffold complex of agarose hydrogel and NGF were better than negative control group (P < 0.01) and reached the level of autograft nerve group.
Conclusions:
The new type of tissue engineering scaffold complex of agarose hydrogel and NGF may provide a microenvironment, as well as autograft nerve, to promote nerve regeneration. This technique may benefit patients with nerve injury in the future.
