30 mm regeneration of rat sciatic nerve along collagen filaments

This paper describes 30 mm regeneration of peripheral nerve axons along collagen filaments 31-mm-long collagen filaments or collagen tube were grafted to bridge a 30-mm defect of rat sciatic nerve. The mean number and the diameter of regenerated myelinated axons were 330+/-227 and 2.7+/-0.9 mum at the distal end of the collagen-filaments 12 weeks postoperatively; while at the distal end of the tube no axon was found. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.