Yan-Ru Zhang; Ge-Chen Zhang; Qiu-Hao Liu & Yi-Sheng Wang

This work aims to investigate the effect of fetal amnion-wrapped acellular allogenic nerve transplantation on peripheral nerve injury (PNI) in dogs and to explore its advantages and feasibility in PNI repair. A total of 15 dogs were divided into three groups: the allogenic nerve transplantation (A), amnion-wrapped allogenic nerve transplantation (B), and allogenic nerve donor (C) groups. Neurite counts after myelin and H-E stainings, soleus muscle action potentials, and sciatic nerve conductive velocities were compared between the A and B groups at 16 w after operation. The B group showed better nerve regeneration than the A group at 16 w. Compared with the A group, the B group showed a better growth continuity of the transplanted nerve and milder inflammatory reactions around the nerve. The B group presented much more proliferated Schwannocytes and regenerated nerve fibers than the A group. The neurite density and the amplitude of the soleus muscle action potentials in the B group were significantly higher than those in the A group (P < 0.05). The two groups did not show significant differences in nerve conductive velocities (P > 0.05). Amnion-wrapped acellular allogenic nerve transplantation can improve defected nerve morphology and the quality of transplanted nerve regeneration.

KEYWORDS: Amnion; Allogenic transplantation; Nerve regeneration

ZHANG, Y.; ZHANG, G.; LIU, Q. & WANG, Y. Effect of amnion-wrapped allogenic nerve bridging on peripheral nerve injury. Int. J. Morphol., 31(3):980-985, 2013.