Aigner T B, Haynl C, Salehi S, O'Connor A, Scheibel T
University of Bayreuth, Department of Biomaterials, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Str.1, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany.
University of Melbourne, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Mater Today Bio. 2020 Jan 27;5:100042. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2020.100042. eCollection 2020 Jan.
The current gold standard in peripheral nerve repair is nerve autografts for bridging gaps larger than a centimeter. However, autografts are associated with a low availability and the loss of function at the donor site. Nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) made of biocompatible and biodegradable materials reflect suitable alternatives. Clinically approved NGCs comprise either wraps that are rolled around the loose ends of the nerve or steady-state tubes; however, both lack internal guidance structures. Here, we established self-rolling NGCs to allow for gentle encapsulation of nerve cells together with supportive microenvironments, such as (1) an inner tube wall coating with a bioactive spider silk film, (2) an inner tube wall lining using an anisotropic spider silk non-woven mat, or (3) a luminal filler using an anisotropic collagen cryogel. Neuronal cells adhered and differentiated inside the modified tubes and formed neurites, which were oriented along the guidance structures provided by the spider silk non-woven mat or by the fibrillary structure of the collagen cryogel. Thus, our size-adaptable NGCs provide several features useful for peripheral nerve repair, and distinct combinations of the used elements might support and enhance the clinical outcome.
目前，外周神经修复的金标准是使用自体神经移植来桥接超过一厘米的间隙。然而，自体神经移植存在供体来源有限以及供体部位功能丧失的问题。由生物相容性和可生物降解材料制成的神经引导导管（NGC）是合适的替代方案。临床批准的NGC包括围绕神经松散末端卷绕的包裹物或稳态管；然而，两者都缺乏内部引导结构。在这里，我们建立了自卷式NGC，以实现神经细胞与支持性微环境的温和封装，例如：（1）用生物活性蜘蛛丝膜涂覆内管壁；（2）使用各向异性蜘蛛丝无纺布衬里内管壁；或（3）使用各向异性胶原冷冻凝胶填充管腔。神经元细胞在改良管内粘附并分化，形成神经突，这些神经突沿着蜘蛛丝无纺布或胶原冷冻凝胶的纤维结构提供的引导结构排列。因此，我们的尺寸适应性NGC提供了对外周神经修复有用的几个特征，并且所使用元素的不同组合可能支持并改善临床结果。
