Transplanted Epidermal Neural Crest Stem Cell in a Peripheral Nerve Gap
April 2014
in “
PubMed
”
TLDR Epidermal neural crest stem cells from hair follicles can help repair nerve injuries.
The study investigated the use of epidermal neural crest stem cells (EPI-NCSC) derived from hair follicles to repair peripheral nerve injuries in rats. EPI-NCSC were cultured and then used to fill a poly lactic acid coglycolic acid copolymer (PLGA) conduit, which was applied to a 10 mm gap in the rat sciatic nerve. After 4 weeks, the treated nerves showed histological restoration, partial recovery of sensory function, and improved sciatic nerve index compared to controls. The results suggested that EPI-NCSC in a PLGA conduit effectively supported peripheral nerve repair.