nerve regeneration

Artificial nerve conduits are used for peripheral nerve damage, but still have some disadvantages compared to autologous cells, such as lack of neurotrophic factors. In the presented study, a nerve conduit made of chitosan, collagen and Schwann cells is used to repair damage to the sciatic nerve of mice, thus providing a simpler alternative to the complex autologous nerve transplantation.

Injuries to the peripheral nervous system can cause substantial motor and sensory deficits. In the presented study, self-assembling peptide-based hydrogels are injected into a chitosan nanofiber scaffold and used as an artificial nerve graft.

In recent decades, there have been major advances in regenerative medicine, such as the treatment of severe nerve injuries. Implants used as scaffolds for nerve cell regeneration are often made of biodegradable polymers, such as chitosan. Below, we present a study that investigated the degradation and stability of tubular chitosan-based implants.