Peripheral Nerve Regeneration with Acellular Nerve Allografts Seeded with Amniotic Fluid-Derived Stem Cells

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Introduction Tissue engineering strategies have attempted to mimic regenerating axons' environment by adding supportive types of cells other than Schwann cell to the nerve allograft. We hypothesized that allografts can be seeded with amniotic fluid-derived stem cells (AFS) to promote nerve regeneration. Methods ANAs with AFS cells for long-gap nerve repairs were studied using a rat model. A sciatic nerve injury was created and repaired immediately with a rat acellular nerve allograft (ANA) construct alone, an ANA construct seeded with AFS cells, or with an autograft. Walking track analysis and electrophysiology were performed to document the return of motor control at 4 months post injury. Axon morphology on the nerve segments was assessed. Results In vivo gait analysis showed that the ANA plus AFS cell group had significantly advanced recoveries in overlap distance, paw angle degree, paw drag, stance width, axis distance, and sciatic function index (SFI) compared with ANA alone. The ANA plus AFS cell group also demonstrated greater gastrocnemius compound muscle action potential (CMAP) ratio, sciatic axon diameter, fiber diameter, myelin thickness, G ratio (average axonal diameter (AD)/fiber diameter (FD)), and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) numbers compared to ANA. Discussion . The allograft plus AFS cell group demonstrated significantly improved functional and histological outc

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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