Decellularized peripheral nerve supports Schwann cell transplants and axon growth following spinal cord injury

Schwann cell (SC) transplantation is a promising strategy for spinal cord injury (SCI) repair because SCs protect nerve cells and help them regenerate. However, many SCs die after being transplanted, which reduces the treatment's effectiveness. This study tested a new approach using an injectable peripheral nerve (iPN) matrix, which is made from the natural environment of SCs. The iPN matrix helps the transplanted SCs survive and supports axon growth, potentially improving SCI treatment. The iPN matrix is immunologically tolerated and promotes SC survival and axon growth, offering a clinically relevant option for improving SC treatment after SCI.

• 1
  iPN implants contained twice as many SC-myelinated axons as Matrigel grafts, indicating enhanced axon regeneration.
• 2
  Rats with SC/iPN implants performed as well as those with SC/Matrigel in locomotor tests and made fewer errors on a grid walk, showing similar or improved functional recovery.
• 3
  The iPN matrix did not alter immune cell infiltration compared to injury-only controls, suggesting good immunological tolerance.