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A biodegradable, honeycomb-shaped scaffold may be a step forward in helping injured nerves regrow and reconnect, reported BBC News. Researchers were able to grow Schwann cells, which support peripheral neuron growth, through a polylactic acid scaffold. The goal, say its inventors, is to enable nerves to reconnect on their own after being severed, such as during a car accident, and to avoid surgical options like suturing the severed nerves.
"When nerves in the arms or legs are injured they have the ability to regrow, unlike in the spinal cord; however, they need assistance to do this," University of Sheffield bioengineering professor John Haycock said in a press release, and Schwann cells can help. "We are designing scaffold implants that can bridge an injury site and provide a range of physical and chemical cues for stimulating this regrowth."
Previous work has used tubes to help severed...
Claeyssens and his colleagues are now testing the scaffold in mice see whether the findings extend to neuronal growth in vivo. If successful, "this technology could make a huge difference to patients suffering severe nerve damage,” he said.
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