Chitosan/silk fibroin-based tissue-engineered graft seeded with adipose-derived stem cells enhances nerve regeneration in a rat model

Sciatic nerve injury presents an ongoing challenge in reconstructive surgery. Local stem cell application has recently been suggested as a possible novel therapy. In the present study we evaluated the potential of a chitosan/silk fibroin scaffold serving as a delivery vehicle for adipose-derived stem cells and as a structural framework for the injured nerve regeneration. The cell-loaded scaffolds were used to regenerate rat sciatic nerve across a 10 mm surgically-induced sciatic nerve injury. The functional nerve recovery was assessed by both walking track and histology analysis. Results showed that the reconstruction of the injured sciatic nerve had been significantly enhanced with restoration of nerve continuity and function recovery in the cell-loaded scaffold groups, and their target skeletal muscle had been extensively reinnervated. This study raises a potential possibility of using the newly developed nerve grafts as a promising alternative for nerve regeneration.