Acutely-dissociated Schwann cells used in tendon autografts for bridging nerve defects in rats: a new principle for tissue engineering in nerve reconstruction.

A new method of acute dissociation of Schwann cells was used to study the effect of addition of such cells to a tendon autograft--a recently-described graft material--on peripheral nerve regeneration in rats. Autologous Schwann cells were obtained from enzymatic dissociation of predegenerated nerves. The tendon autografts were supplied with Schwann cells through brief in vitro coincubation. Schwann cell-free tendon autografts were used as controls. Axonal outgrowth was measured immunohistochemically after four, seven, and 10 days. At seven days, outgrowth was significantly longer in the pretreated autografts. The use of acutely-dissociated Schwann cells is a new approach to tissue engineering in nerve reconstruction, and may abolish the need for time-consuming culture of Schwann cells.