BACKGROUND: Employment of regenerative properties of cells at the service of nerve repair has been initiated during recent decades. Effects of local transplantation of bone marrow-derived mast cells on peripheral nerve regeneration were studied using a rat sciatic nerve transection model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 10-mm sciatic nerve defect was bridged using a conduit chitosan-based hybrid conduit filled with BMMCs in BMMC group. In positive control group (Pos), the conduit was filled with phosphate-buffered saline alone. The regenerated nerve fibers were studied within 12 weeks after surgery. In sham-operated group, the sciatic nerve was only exposed and manipulated. In negative control (Neg) a 10-mm sciatic nerve defect was created and the nerve stumps were sutured to the adjacent muscles. The regenerated nerve fibers were studied functionally, biomechanically, histologically and immunohiscochemically. RESULTS: Functional and biomechanical studies confirmed faster recovery of regenerated axons in BMMCs transplanted animals compared to Pos group (p<0.05). Morphometric indices of the regenerated fibers showed that the number and diameter of the myelinated fibers were significantly higher in BMMCs transplanted animals than in Pos group (p<0.05). In immunohistochemistry, location of reactions to S-100 in BMMCs transplanted animals was clearly more positive than that in Pos group. CONCLUSIONS: BMMCs transplantation could be considered as a readily accessible source of cells that could improve functional recovery of transected sciatic nerve.