Abstract
We have investigated the repair of peripheral nerves in animal models using tubular guiding conduits. The materials used to fabricate the nerve conduits and their physicochemical and mechanical characteristics can influence the extent, rate and morphology of regeneration. Permeability of the conduit membranes is one parameter which seems to play an important role in nerve regeneration. In the present study, two types of nerve conduits were developed from bovine tendon collagen with distinctly different permeabilities. The permeability of the conduit membranes was determined by diffusion of various sized molecules across these membranes. One type of conduit had pores which only allowed small molecules such as glucose to pass (small pore collagen conduits). The other type had pores which were readily permeable to macromolecules such as bovine serum albumin (large pore collagen conduits). The large pore collagen conduits supported nerve regeneration to a greater degree than the small pore collagen conduits when tested in mice to bridge 4 mm gaps of the sciatic nerve. Studies in rats and primates suggested that large pore collagen conduits worked as effectively as nerve autografts in terms of physiological recovery of motor and sensory responses. The results of in vitro and in vivo studies of these conduits represent a significant step towards our specific aim of developing suitable off-the-shelf prostheses for clinical repair of damaged peripheral nerves.
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Li, ST., Archibald, S.J., Krarup, C., Madison, R.D. (1991). The Development of Collagen Nerve Conduits that Promote Peripheral Nerve Regeneration. In: Gebelein, C.G. (eds) Biotechnology and Polymers. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3844-8_23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3844-8_23
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