Ro. Labrador et al., INFLUENCE OF COLLAGEN AND LAMININ GELS CONCENTRATION ON NERVE REGENERATION AFTER RESECTION AND TUBE REPAIR, Experimental neurology, 149(1), 1998, pp. 243-252
In order to assess the usefulness of collagen and laminin gels prefill
ing nerve chambers to enhance nerve regeneration, we compared reinnerv
ation of target organs after sciatic nerve resection leaving gaps of 4
or 6 mm followed by repair with silicone tubes in different groups of
mice. Tubes were prefilled with saline solution, collagen gels, or la
minin-containing gels at different concentrations. Functional reinnerv
ation was assessed by noninvasive methods to quantitate recovery of sw
eating, nociceptive, sensory, and motor functions in the hindpaw repea
tedly during 4-5 months postoperation. The increase in gap length betw
een nerve stumps delayed the beginning and reduced the degree of funct
ional recovery achieved. Reinnervation started earlier and achieved sl
ightly higher levels with collagen gel diluted at 1.28 mg/ml than with
more concentrated (1.92 and 2.56 mg/ml) collagen gels and with saline
-prefilled tubes bridging a 4-mm gap. Recovery was also better with di
luted (4 mg/ml) than with concentrated (12 mg/ml) laminin-containing g
el, although lower than with collagen gels and saline. By prefilling s
ilicone tubes bridging a 6-mm gap, a length considered limiting for re
generation in the mouse sciatic nerve, with diluted collagen or lamini
n gels, both matrices allowed for higher levels of recovery and for su
ccessful regeneration in a higher proportion of mice than saline solut
ion. The laminin gel performed slightly better than the collagen gel.
(C) 1998 Academic Press.