Stem cell and neuron co-cultures for the study of nerve regeneration

Many experimental in vivo studies have indicated that Schwann cells are key facilitators of peripheral nerve regeneration but their clinical therapeutic potential may be limited. Recent advances suggest that stem cell therapy could one day be used to treat nerve traumas. We have shown how adult stem cells can be differentiated into a Schwann cell phenotype, characterised by expression of glial cell proteins and promotion of neurite outgrowth. The development of new cell culture models which mimic the in vivo regeneration environment will help us to better understand the functional benefits of these cells. Here, we describe a stepwise approach towards this, moving from traditional two-dimensional non-contact co-cultures to new three-dimensional models utilising fibrin matrices.