REGENERATION OF THE RAT SCIATIC-NERVE INTO ALLOGRAFTS MADE ACELLULAR THROUGH CHEMICAL-EXTRACTION

The aim of this study was to develop a procedure by which myelin and S chwann cells could be removed from a peripheral nerve while the basal lamina tubes, remained intact, and to test if such preparations could be used as allografts for the repair of a gap in the continuity of the rat sciatic nerve. We found that extraction with the detergents Trito n X-100 and deoxycholate resulted in acellular nerve segments with pre sented basal lamina tubes, here defined as the tubes which surrounds t he axon/Schwann cell units. The morphology of the acellular nerve segm ents was revealed by scanning electron microscopy, teasing, immunohist ochemistry and electrophoresis. Such grafts when allografted between t wo outbred rat strains, were found to support outgrowth of axons and m igration of Schwann cells, which reoccupied the empty basal lamina tub es without excessive signs of inflammation. This new paradigm offers a possible solution to the major shortcomings of autologous nerve graft s, i.e., the requirement to sacrifice a healthy nerve and the shortage of graft material available for repair. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.