The effect of transplantation of Schwann cell and SIS sponge on the injured peripheral nerve regeneration

It is recognized that Schwann cells (SC) are essential for peripheral nerve development and regeneration. SIS (small intestinal submucosa) consists of some growth factors which can stimulate cell activity without immune rejection responges. SCs were harvested from the femurs and tibias of female Fischer rat and then suspended with 2 × 10⁶ cell/sponge in SIS sponge. Fischer rat received an implant consisting of the SCs and the SIS sponge at the place of a 5 mm gap created by the sciatic nerve resection. Thin sections were stained with H&E staining and immunostaining of S-100, GFAP and NF after 1, 2, and 4 weeks. It was observed that the effects of the SIS sponge with SCs on neuroinduction (Group II, with scaffold & cell) are strong as much as uninjured model(Control I), and significantly stronger than SIS sponge model (Group I, with scaffold only) and blank model (Control II). In conclusion, these results suggest that SIS sponge filled with SCs may have an important role for peripheral nerve regeneration of tissue engineering.