Structural and functional improvement of snipped sciatic nerve after allograft injection of Schwann cells into fibrin scaffold

Background and Aim: Peripheral nerve injuries are among the most common types of injuries of the nervous system and are regarded as the main cause of disability. These injuries can lead to disorders in muscles movement and normal sense, and also painful neuropathy. Tissue engineering and stem cells therapy are among the treatment methods for these disorders. In this study we assessed sciatic nerve restoration through a silicone tube containing a fibrin scaffold filled with Schwann cells and citicoline by using electromyography and histological methods. Materials and Methods: 50 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups. 1. Silicon tube. 2. Silicon tube with fibrin gel. 3. Silicon tube with Schwann cells. 4. Silicone tube with citicoline. 5. Silicon tube with Schwann cells & citicholine. The left sciatic nerve was cut and a 10 mm gap was created. A silicon tube was placed between the two cut ends of the nerve, as a guide channel. Allografted Schwann cells and citicoline were injected into the guide channel. Results: The third and fifth groups were significantly different from other groups in regard to the amplitudes of the waves (P <0.05). Also, we found significant decreases in the latency of the waves recorded in the 1st to 4th groups (P <0.05). There was a significant difference between the third and fifth groups in the results of histological examination (P <0.05). Conclusions: Increased amplitude in the third and fifth groups indicated better restoration of the nerve in these groups. Also reduced latency in the 1st to 4th groups was indicative of regeneration of the sciatic nerve. Histologic results revealed increased number of recovered axons in the fifth group which was indicative of the better outcome of the combination therapy.