The Use of Chitosan-Based Scaffolds to Enhance Regeneration in the Nervous System - International Review of Neurobiology - page 38

Table 1.8 Types of neurotrophic and neuroprotective factors used to enhance chitosan tubes for peripheral nerve repair — cont'd
Neurotrophic factors

Gap
size
(mm) Methods

Carrier/delivery
system

Follow-
up

Authors and
year

Nerve tube Growth factor(s) Animal Nerve Injury Controls Outcome

Chitosan
tube

Basis fibroblast growth
factor (bFGF)

Heparin-
incorporated
fibrin-
fibronectin
matrix

Rats Sciatic

nerve

Nerve
transection

10 Conduction velocity

recovery index
(CVRI), muscle
restoration rate
(MRR), and
histological
evaluation

Autograft 3 months CVRI and

MRR in animals
of bFGF group
are similar to
those of
autograft group

Han, Ao,
Chen,
Wang, and
Zuo (2010)

Poly
lactic- co -
glycolic acid
(PLGA)/
chitosan tube

CNTF CNTF blending

with chitosan

Cross-
bred
dogs

Tibial
nerve

Nerve
transection

25 Electrophysiological

and histological
evaluation

PLGA/
chitosan
tube
without
CNTF

3 months PLGA/
chitosan-CNTF
tube promotes
nerve
regeneration
close to the
autograft group

Shen et al.
(2010)

- Chitooligosaccharides

(COSs)

Intravenous
injections of 1.5
or 3 mg/kg body
weight of COSs
over 6-week
period

New
Zealand
rabbits

Common
peroneal
nerve

Nerve
crush
injury

20 Electrophysiological

and histological
evaluation

Saline
injections

6 weeks Compound
muscle action
potentials,
number of
regenerated
myelinated
nerve fibers,
thickness of
regenerated
myelin sheaths
and the cross-
sectional area of

Gong,
Gong, Gu,
and Ding
(2009)