Regenerative effects of human embryonic stem cell‐derived neural crest cells for treatment of peripheral nerve injury

J Tissue Eng Regen Med, 2018 · DOI: 10.1002/term.2642 · Published: January 2, 2018

Simple Explanation

Peripheral nerve injuries often require surgery, but recovery is frequently incomplete. This study explores using artificial nerve grafts with cells that support nerve regeneration. Neural crest cells (NCCs), which give rise to many peripheral nervous system cells, were created from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). These NCCs showed typical characteristics and produced growth factors. When these NCCs were placed in a nerve graft and implanted into rats with nerve injuries, nerve regeneration was enhanced, suggesting NCCs are promising for nerve repair.

Study Duration

2 weeks

Participants

Adult female Sprague Dawley rats (n = 6 per treatment group)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Differentiated NCCs from hESCs exhibit typical morphology and protein expression signatures comparable to native neural crest cells.
2
Conditioned media from differentiated NCCs contains trophic factors that stimulate neurite outgrowth in vitro.
3
Transplantation of differentiated NCCs in a rat sciatic nerve injury model promotes robust nerve regeneration and up-regulation of regeneration-related genes.

Research Summary

This study investigates the potential of human embryonic stem cell-derived neural crest cells (hESC-NCCs) to promote peripheral nerve regeneration using artificial nerve grafts. The researchers successfully differentiated hESCs into NCCs, which exhibited characteristic features and secreted trophic factors. These NCCs were then tested in a rat sciatic nerve injury model. Results showed enhanced nerve regeneration in the rats treated with the hESC-NCCs, indicating their potential as a source of supporting cells for peripheral nerve repair.

Practical Implications

Artificial Nerve Graft Development

Differentiated NCCs are promising supporting cell candidates to aid in peripheral nerve repair, potentially replacing or complementing current surgical procedures.

Renewable Cell Source

hESC-derived NCCs offer a renewable source of supporting cells for nerve regeneration, overcoming limitations associated with obtaining Schwann cells from biopsies.

Therapeutic Target Identification

Further research into the specific trophic factors secreted by NCCs could lead to the development of targeted therapies to enhance nerve regeneration.

Study Limitations

1
The study only assessed regeneration over a short period (2 weeks).
2
Functional recovery was not fully assessed (e.g., remyelination assays, nerve conduction velocity, and walking track analyses).
3
Further characterisation of the differentiated cultures is required to truly define the composition of the enriched population.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Regenerative Medicine