Fabrication and evaluation of microgrooved polymers as peripheral nerve conduits

Cell alignment plays an important role in the repair of damaged peripheral nerves. The aligned Schwann cells could direct the axonal outgrowth during nerve reconstruction. One way of aligning Schwann cells is to use surface grooves in micrometric dimensions. In this study, microgrooves on chitosan or poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA) were fabricated and the behaviors of Schwann cells and glial cell line C6 on these surfaces were examined. It was found that Schwann cells and C6 cells could be successfully aligned by the microgrooves, and express the genes related to the production of neurotrophic factors. The polymer conduits with microgrooves on the inner surface were implanted in rats to repair the damaged sciatic nerve. The microgrooved conduits were demonstrated to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration as compared to the smooth conduits.