Effects of motor versus sensory nerve grafts on peripheral nerve regeneration

Autologous nerve grafting is the current standard of care for nerve injuries resulting in a nerve gap. This treatment requires the use of sensory grafts to reconstruct motor defects, but the consequences of mismatches between graft and native nerve are unknown. Motor pathways have been shown to pref...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental neurology 2004-12, Vol.190 (2), p.347-355
Main Authors: Nichols, Chris M., Brenner, Michael J., Fox, Ida K., Tung, Thomas H., Hunter, Daniel A., Rickman, Susan R., Mackinnon, Susan E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Axotomy
Male
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Motor neurons
Motor Neurons - pathology
Motor Neurons - transplantation
Motor Neurons - ultrastructure
Nerve regeneration
Nerve Regeneration - physiology
Neurons, Afferent - pathology
Neurons, Afferent - transplantation
Neurons, Afferent - ultrastructure
Preferential motor reinnervation
Rats
Rats, Inbred Lew
Sensory neurons
Tibial nerve
Tibial Nerve - injuries
Tibial Nerve - pathology
Tibial Nerve - surgery
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Summary:Autologous nerve grafting is the current standard of care for nerve injuries resulting in a nerve gap. This treatment requires the use of sensory grafts to reconstruct motor defects, but the consequences of mismatches between graft and native nerve are unknown. Motor pathways have been shown to preferentially support motoneuron regeneration. Functional outcome of motor nerve reconstruction depends on the magnitude, rate, and precision of end organ reinnervation. This study examined the role of pathway type on regeneration across a mixed nerve defect. Thirty-six Lewis rats underwent tibial nerve transection and received isogeneic motor, sensory or mixed nerve grafts. Histomorphometry of the regenerating nerves at 3 weeks demonstrated robust nerve regeneration through both motor and mixed nerve grafts. In contrast, poor nerve regeneration was seen through sensory nerve grafts, with significantly decreased nerve fiber count, percent nerve, and nerve density when compared with mixed and motor groups (P < 0.05). These data suggest that use of motor or mixed nerve grafts, rather than sensory nerve grafts, will optimize regeneration across mixed nerve defects.
ISSN:0014-4886
1090-2430
DOI:10.1016/j.expneurol.2004.08.003