gms | German Medical Science

Objectives/Interrogation: Defects in peripheral nerve poses can pose as a difficult problem for surgeons to address. Many different techniques have been utilized to address this gaps including inserting a nerve conduit. We aim to develop an aligned biocompatible cell-seeded PLGA on collagen mat as a nerve conduit for use in peripheral nerve regeneration. Our previous work utilised skin fibroblasts but this current work utilised human mesenchymal stem cells differentiated into nerve cells. We will describe the method of constructing a tubular conduit from electrospun PLGA and the addition of collagen layer and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) into this conduit.

Methods: The solvents used were poly lactic-co-glygolic acid (PLGA) PL85GA15 was used with Dichloromethane (DCM) and Dimethylformamide (DMF). We utilised the electrospinning technique. We analysed fiber morphology, average diameter and interfiber junction and tested for mechanical strength. The neural-differentiated human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) was seeded into the collagen-layered nanofibers and a biocompatibility assessment was done to assess cell viability. Aligned electrospun PLGA on a collagen sheet was rolled into a tubular conduit. The designed conduits were seeded with hMSC and investigated with physical, mechanical and microscopic analyses and the degradation rate was measured.

Results and Conclusions: The electrospun fibres were elongated, relatively aligned and with a smooth surface. The fibres had a diameter of average length of 0.96 microns. The constructed aligned fibres were successfully seeded with mesenchymal stem cells which had further differentiated into neural cells.

The nerve conduits measured 40.0mm long, an internal diameter of 2.0mm and thickness of 1.03mm. The degradation study of nerve conduit showed the PLGA fibres did not degrade further after 12 weeks.

Using electrospun PLGA for nerve conduit construction is inexpensive and can be replicated. Fibres which are aligned improves growth of neurite and enhances maturation. Nerve conduit tensile strength is improved by adding collagen. This nerve conduit composed of collagen-layered PLGA and seeded with hMSCs is biocompatible and suited for nerve cell proliferation. Thus it has the potential to be inserted into a nerve gap in peripheral nerve surgery.