Segregation of motor and sensory axons regenerating through bicompartmental tubes by combining extracellular matrix components with neurotrophic factors

Abstract Segregation of regenerating motor and sensory axons may be a good strategy to improve selective functionality of regenerative interfaces to provide close loop commands. Provided that extracellular matrix (ECM) components and neurotrophic factors (NTFs) exert guidance effects on different neuronal populations, we assessed in vivo the potential of separating sensory and motor axons regenerating in a bicompartmental Y‐type tube, with each branch prefilled with an adequate combination of ECM and NTFs. The severed rat sciatic nerve was repaired using a bicompartmental tube filled with a collagen matrix enriched with fibronectin and BDNF encapsulated in PLGA microspheres (FN+MP.BDNF) in one compartment to preferentially attract motor axons and collagen enriched with laminin and NGF and NT‐3 in microspheres (LM+MP.NGF/NT‐3) in the other compartment for promoting sensory axons regeneration. Control animals were implanted with the same Y‐tube with a collagen matrix with microspheres containing PBS (Col+MP.PBS). By using retrotracer labeling, we found that LM+MP.NGF/NT‐3 did not attract higher number of regenerated sensory axons compared to controls, and no differences were observed in sensory functional recovery. However, FN+MP.BDNF guided a higher number of regenerating motor axons compared to controls, improving also motor recovery. A small proportion of sensory axons with large soma size, likely proprioceptive neurons, was also attracted to the FN+MP.BDNF compart...
Source: Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine - Category: Biotechnology Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research