The influence of predegeneration on regeneration through peripheral nerve grafts in the rat

Nerve regeneration through predegenerated (PNG) or fresh (FNG) autografts in either fresh or delayed recipient nerve beds were studied in the rat sciatic nerve. Grafts 10 mm in length were excised either immediately or following a 7-day period of predegeneration. They were sutured into gaps on the contralateral side which were either freshly made or had been made 7 days previously. The early recovery (10 days at 2-day intervals) was evaluated by the sensory pinch test to measure the rate of regeneration and the delay period. The PNG group had an improvement in axonal regeneration as evidenced by a reduced delay period, a reduced number of regeneration failures, and less variability in regeneration distances compared to the FNG group. Conditioning the host site blocked some of the delay reduction in the PNG group, but had no effect on regeneration rate or delay in the FNG group. The presence of axons in the graft was confirmed by immunocytochemistry for neurofilament protein and by electron microscopy. The results suggest that proliferated cells, primarily Schwann cells, promote regeneration through the suture line and graft into the distal segment.