Cellulose/soy protein composite-based nerve guidance conduits with designed microstructure for peripheral nerve
Li Gan1, Lei Zhao, Yanteng Zhao
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, People's Republic of China. Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, People's Republic of China.
Journal of Neural Engineering
|September 22, 2016
Summary
A cellulose/soy protein isolate sponge conduit (CSSC) demonstrated superior nerve regeneration compared to a film-based conduit (CSFC) in rat sciatic nerve defects. The CSSC
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Peripheral nerve injuries pose significant challenges for functional recovery.
- Developing effective nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) is crucial for bridging nerve gaps.
- Natural polymers offer biocompatible and biodegradable options for NGC fabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate cellulose/soy protein isolate (SPI) based nerve guidance conduits.
- To compare the efficacy of a cellulose/SPI sponge-based conduit (CSSC) versus a cellulose/SPI film-based conduit (CSFC) in promoting nerve regeneration.
- To investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of nerve repair facilitated by the conduits.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of CSSC and CSFC from cellulose and SPI.
- Implantation of conduits in a 10 mm rat sciatic nerve defect model.
- Assessment of nerve regeneration using electrophysiology, retrograde tracing, immunofluorescence, histology, and electron microscopy.
- Analysis of gene expression related to nerve growth using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR).
Main Results:
- CSSC exhibited significantly higher porosity and water absorption than CSFC, enhancing permeability.
- Both CSSC and CSFC facilitated nerve defect bridging, but CSSC showed superior repair efficiency.
- CSSC group demonstrated improved electrophysiological function, enhanced neurofilament and Schwann cell markers, and better axon/myelin structure.
- Upregulation of nerve growth factor, IL-10, IL-6, and GAP-43 mRNA was observed in the CSSC group, indicating a favorable microenvironment for regeneration.
Conclusions:
- Cellulose/SPI sponge-based nerve guidance conduits show significant potential for peripheral nerve defect repair.
- Structural design and processing optimization, particularly achieving higher porosity and permeability, are key to enhancing NGC efficacy.
- This study highlights the promise of natural polymer-based scaffolds for advancing regenerative medicine strategies.
