PERIPHERAL-NERVE REGENERATION - COMPARISON OF LAMININ AND ACIDIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTOR

Purpose: In an effort to show the differences between neurotrophic fac tors, laminin and acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) were compared in terms of their abilities to regenerate axons in vivo over an exten ded distance. Materials and Methods: The sciatic nerve was transected in 15 Sprague-Dawley rats. A 15-mm Silastic tube (Dow Coming, Midland, MI) was placed between the ends of the cut nerve and filled with eith er laminin, aFGF, or buffer applied to collagen sponges. Results: Ten weeks postimplantation, mean axon counts showed that both laminin (243 2) and aFGF (1612) produced significantly higher numbers of axons than controls (1009) (P<.05) and that laminin showed significantly more ne rve regeneration than aFGF (P <.05). Conclusion: These results indicat e that laminin and aFGF enhance peripheral nerve regeneration across a large gap, presumably through their neurotrophic effects and mitogeni c properties on supporting cells. Furthermore, it is concluded that th e transient nature of aFGF's effect on the regenerative environment li mits its effectiveness al regenerating axons over a prolonged period o f time. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.