Journal
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH PART A
Volume 105, Issue 5, Pages 1267-1280Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.35998
Keywords
nerve regeneration; axonotmesis; polyvinyl alcohol; nerve-guides; carbon nanotubes; polypyrrole; functional analysis; morphometric analysis; neurogenic atrophy
Funding
- Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON. 2 - O Novo Norte)
- QREN
- FEDER with the project iBone Therapies: Terapias inovadoras para a regeneracao ossea [NORTE-01-0247-FEDER-003262]
- FCT (COMPETE - Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade) [Pest-OE/AGR/UI0211/2011, UID/CVT/00772/2013]
- FEDER (Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors COMPETE)
- FEDER (National Funds through the FCT) [PEst-C/SAU/LA0003/2013]
- FCT (IPATIMUP integrates the i3S Research Unit)
- FCT [SFRH/BD/101174/2014]
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [SFRH/BD/101174/2014, PEst-OE/AGR/UI0211/2011] Funding Source: FCT
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The therapeutic effect of three polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membranes loaded with electrically conductive materials - carbon nanotubes (PVA-CNTs) and polypyrrole (PVA-PPy) - were tested in vivo for neuro-muscular regeneration after an axonotmesis injury in the rat sciatic nerve. The membranes electrical conductivity measured was 1.5 +/- 0.5 x 10(-6) S/m, 579 +/- 0.6 x 10(-6) S/m, and 1837.5 +/- 0.7 x 10(-6) S/m, respectively. At week-12, a residual motor and nociceptive deficit were present in all treated groups, but at week-12, a better recovery to normal gait pattern of the PVA-CNTs and PVA-PPy treated groups was observed. Morphometrical analysis demonstrated that PVA-CNTs group presented higher myelin thickness and lower g-ratio. The tibialis anterior muscle, in the PVA-PPy and PVA-CNTs groups showed a 9% and 19% increase of average fiber size area and a 5% and 10% increase of the minimal Feret's diameter, respectively. No inflammation, degeneration, fibrosis or necrosis were detected in lung, liver, kidneys, spleen, and regional lymph nodes and absence of carbon deposits was confirmed with Von Kossa and Masson-Fontana stains. In conclusion, the membranes of PVA-CNTs and PVA-PPy are biocompatible and have electrical conductivity. The higher electrical conductivity measured in PVA-CNTs membrane might be responsible for the positive results on maturation of myelinated fibers. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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