Comparison of the neurotropic effects of motor and sensory Schwann cells during regeneration of peripheral nerves

We examined the inductive ability of motor and sensory Schwann cells on reg eneration of motor and sensory axone using a silastic Y chamber, and Lewis rats L5 ventral root (motor) and saphenous nerve (sensory). We developed fo ur experimental models: motor-motor nerve group-proximal motor stump with d istal fresh and frozen/thawed motor nerve segments (n = 7); sensory-sensory nerve group-proximal sensory stump with distal fresh and frozen/ thawed se nsory nerve segments (n = 7); motor-sensory nerve group-proximal motor stum p with distal fresh and frozen/thawed sensory segments (n = 8); and sensory -motor nerve group-proximal sensory stump with distal fresh and frozen/thaw ed motor segments (n = 8). The gap was set at 4 mm. Six weeks postoperative ly we compared the number of regenerated myelinated axons in the two distal channels, and found that sensory Schwann cells have a strong inductive abi lity for regeneration of both sensory and motor axons. Motor Schwann cells have weak inductive ability fur regeneration of motor axons and no inductiv e ability for regeneration of sensory axons.