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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Transplantation of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells to Evaluate Functional Recovery after Peripheral Nerve Injury
Published on: February 23, 2014
[Allografted olfactory mucosa gliacytes repair Wistar rats' sciatic nerve long defect]
Fu-hai Liu1, Tong-yi Chen, Jian Zhang
1Department of Orthopedics, Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Objective:
To investigate whether or not allografted olfactory mucosa gliacytes could repair peripheral nerve injure.
Methods:
Olfactory mucosa gliacytes had been cultured in vitro for 2 weeks, then purified and condensed for later transplantation.Sixty adult female Wistar rats were randomized into 2 groups of 30 rats each, A (control) and B (test). Rats' left sciatic nerves were excised 25 mm long axons and retained epineurium lumen anastomosed to proximal ends. Culture mediums, and olfactory mucosa gliacytes were transplanted into epineurium lumen of A and B groups respectively. At 3 months postoperatively, the regenerations of injured sciatic nerves were evaluated by methods of macroscopy, photomicroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, retro-marked fluorescence red, the condensation of glial fibre acid protein (GFAP) and nerve growth factors (NF) assayed by immunofluorescence, and the concentration of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofilament protein (NF) assayed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.
Results:
The regenerations of injured sciatic nerves were superior in B group to in A group; the transportation distance of retro-marked fluorescence red were longer in B group than in A group (P < 0.01). The condensations of GFAP and NGF were more dense in B group than in A group. The concentrations of MBP and NF were more high in B group than in A group (P < 0.01). The function scores of injured limbs were superior in B group to in A group (P < 0.01). The quantifications of nerve fibers and myelin fibers of injured sciatic nerve were larger in B group than in A group (P < 0.01).
Conclusion:
Allografted olfactory mucosa gliacytes could repair injured nerve defect.
