The Use of Chitosan-Based Scaffolds to Enhance Regeneration in the Nervous System - International Review of Neurobiology - page 28

Gap
size
(mm) Methods

Authors and
year Nerve tube Framework Internal filler Animal Nerve Injury Controls Follow-up Outcome

Microporous-
chitosan tube

Filaments Polyglycolicacid

(PGA) oriented
filaments

Female
Sprague-
Dawley
rats

Sciatic nerve Nerve
transection

10 Electrophysiological

and histological
evaluation

10-mm
autograft
(positive
control) and
nongrafted
(negative
control)

6 months Better axonal

regeneration, SC
myelination, and
reinnervation of
atrophic
denervated
muscle in the
chitosan/PGA
graft group

Jiao et al.
(2009)

Bilayered
chitosan
nonwoven
nanofibers
mesh tube

Filaments Inner layer of

orientated
nanofibers and
outer layer of
random
nanofibers

Male
Sprague-
Dawley
rats

Sciatic nerve Nerve
transection

10 Von Frey hair test,

Static toe spread
factor (STSF),
electrophysiological
and histological
evaluation

Autograft
(positive
control) and
random
nanofibers
chitosan
mesh tube
(negative
control)

30 weeks Functional

recovery in the
bilayered
chitosan
nonwoven
nanofibers mesh
tube group
matches
autograft group.
Sprouting of
myelinated
axons and axonal
maturation
occurs in both
groups at the
same level

Wang et al.
(2009)

Poly- D - L -
lactic acid/
chondroitin
sulfate/
chitosan tube
(PDLLA/CS/
CHS)

- - Rats - - - - PDLLA

tube

3 months The PDLLA/

CS/CHS tube
allows nerve
regeneration
without acidity-
caused irritation
and acidity-
induced
autoaccelerating
degradation

Xu et al.
(2009)