Millesi Flavia, Mero Sascha, Rihl Sebastian, Steinwenter Sophie, Stadlmayr Sarah, Borger Anton, Supper Paul, Haertinger Maximilian, Ploszczanski Leon, Sinn Gerhard, Naghilou Aida, Semmler Lorenz, Radtke Christine
Research Laboratory of the Department for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
iScience. 2025 Jul 18;28(8):113150. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113150. eCollection 2025 Aug 15.
Nerve conduits offer an alternative to autologous nerve grafts, yet their clinical application remains restricted to short injuries with unsatisfactory outcomes. This study aimed to elucidate the factors responsible for these poor results. We systematically compared three commercially available conduits, assessing their impact on Schwann cells and fibroblasts alongside their material properties. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of luminal fillings -spider silk, hydrogel, and their combination- on cell behavior. All three hollow nerve conduits inhibited cell attachment, proliferation, and migration. Fillings significantly improved cellular responses, with effects varying depending on conduit type and material. Notably, spider silk and hydrogel influenced each other's efficacy. Our experiments highlight the limitations of empty nerve conduits and served as a mechanistic exploration to unravel the reasons behind the superior outcomes observed with filled nerve conduits, underscoring the imperative for advancements in conduit design.
神经导管为自体神经移植提供了一种替代方案，但其临床应用仍局限于短距离损伤，且效果不尽人意。本研究旨在阐明导致这些不佳结果的因素。我们系统地比较了三种市售导管，评估它们对雪旺细胞和成纤维细胞的影响以及它们的材料特性。此外，我们还评估了管腔内填充物（蜘蛛丝、水凝胶及其组合）对细胞行为的影响。所有三种中空神经导管均抑制细胞附着、增殖和迁移。填充物显著改善了细胞反应，其效果因导管类型和材料而异。值得注意的是，蜘蛛丝和水凝胶相互影响彼此的功效。我们的实验突出了空神经导管的局限性，并作为一种机制探索，以揭示填充神经导管观察到更好结果背后的原因，强调了导管设计改进的必要性。
