Neuroma: a donor-age independent source of human Schwann cells for tissue engineered nerve grafts

Schwann cells are used in combination with biological matrices as tissue en gineered nerve grafts in animal models offering a new therapeutic approach for treatment of lesions of the peripheral nervous system.-A high yield of human Schwann cells from adult donors is only achieved by pharmacological s timulation, which should, however, be avoided in clinical therapy. Here, we establish cultures of activated human Schwann cells which were isolated fr om peripheral nerve neuroma which developed after a median nerve lesion. To allow nerve reconstruction neuroma have to be resected. Such neuroma tissu e is virtually predegenerated and shows activation of Schwann cells, implyi ng good adherence and high mitotic activity. This allows, irrespective of d onor age, growing within a short time period and without any pharmacologica l treatment. NeuroReport 11:3805-3809 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkin s.