Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2014, Vol. 9 ›› Issue (18): 1696-1702.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.141805

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Schwann cells originating from skin-derived precursors promote peripheral nerve regeneration in rats

Ping Zhang 1, Xiaocheng Lu 2, Jianghai Chen 2, Zhenbing Chen 2   

  1. 1 Department of Orthopedics, Wuhan Women and Children Health Care Center, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
    2 Department of Hand Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
  • Received:2014-07-21 Online:2014-09-26 Published:2014-09-26
  • Contact: Zhenbing Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Hand Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China, 2990430205@qq.com. Jianghai Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Hand Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China, Chenjianghai2002@hotmail.com.
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.  81171194.

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Abstract:

Artificial guidance channels containing Schwann cells can promote the regeneration of injured peripheral nerve over long distances. However, primary Schwann cells are not suitable for autotransplantation. Under specific conditions, skin-derived progenitors can be induced to differentiate into Schwann cells. Therefore, adult rat dorsal skin (dermis)-derived progenitors were isolated and induced to differentiate with DMEM/F12 containing B27, neuregulin 1, and forskolin. Immunofluorescence staining and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed that the resultant cells were indeed Schwann cells. Artificial guidance channels containing skin-derived progenitors, Schwann cells originating from skin-derived progenitors, or primary Schwann cells were used to bridge 5 mm sciatic nerve defects. Schwann cells originating from skin-derived progenitors significantly promoted sciatic nerve axonal regeneration. The significant recovery of injured rat sciatic nerve function after the transplantation of Schwann cells originating from skin-derived progenitors was confirmed by electromyogram. The therapeutic effect of Schwann cells originating from skin-derived progenitors was better than that of skin-derived progenitors. These findings indicate that Schwann cells originating from skin-derived precursors can promote peripheral nerve regeneration in rats.

Key words: erve regeneration, skin-derived precursors, Schwann cells, peripheral nerve injury, cell transplantation, NSFC grant, neural regeneration