Influence of Touch-Spun Nanofiber Diameter on Contact Guidance during Peripheral Nerve Repair

Progress in methods for evaluating Schwann cell myelination and axonal growth in peripheral nerve regeneration via scaffolds

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a neurological disorder caused by trauma that is frequently induced by accidents, war, and surgical complications, which is of global significance. The severity of the injury determines the potential for lifelong disability in patients. Artificial nerve scaffolds have been investigated as a powerful tool for promoting optimal regeneration of nerve defects. Over the past few decades, bionic scaffolds have been successfully developed to provide guidance and biological cues to facilitate Schwann cell myelination and orientated axonal growth. Numerous assessment techniques have been employed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of nerve scaffolds in promoting the growth of Schwann cells and axons upon the bioactivities of distinct scaffolds, which have encouraged a greater understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in peripheral nerve development and regeneration. However, it is still difficult to compare the results from different labs due to the diversity of protocols and the availability of innovative technologies when evaluating the effectiveness of novel artificial scaffolds. Meanwhile, due to the complicated process of peripheral nerve regeneration, several evaluation methods are usually combined in studies on peripheral nerve repair. Herein, we have provided an overview of the evaluation methods used to study the outcomes of scaffold-based therapies for PNI in experimental animal models and especially focus on Schwann cell functions and axonal growth within the regenerated nerve.

Quantification of cell migration: metrics selection to model application

Cell migration plays an essential role in physiological and pathological states, such as immune response, tissue generation and tumor development. This phenomenon can occur spontaneously or it can be triggered by an external stimuli, including biochemical, mechanical, or electrical cues that induce or direct cells to migrate. The migratory response to these cues is foundational to several fields including neuroscience, cancer and regenerative medicine. Various platforms are available to qualitatively and quantitatively measure cell migration, making the measurements of cell motility straight-forward. Migratory behavior must be analyzed by multiple metrics and then models to connect the measurements to physiological meaning. This review will focus on describing and quantifying cell movement for individual cell migration.