Transcript Peripheral Nerve Repair

by Claire Hoelmer, Suyesh Acharya, and Sydney Gibson
Bodily system that uses a complex network
of neurons to allow communication between
parts of the body
Central & Peripheral Nervous System
•Allows the Brain to control the body
•crucial for human movement and function
• Highway for information processing and
response
•Sensory Neurons- send stimulation
information from senses to the brain.
• Motor Neurons- send commands from the
brain to muscles or other organs
Brain is the Central Processing Center
Cells of the Nervous System
•Uses Action potential (electricity) to
transmit signal down the axon, within the
cell.
• Neurotransmitters (Chemical signaling)
through vesicle transport are used to send
signals between nerves.
•Bundles and series of neurons make a
nerve
•The less neurons the better
•Some nerve cells are over 1.5m long
• Nerve is damaged due to
traumatic injury such as deep
wound, burns, or crushing.
• Goal is to regenerate ( stretch)
the neuron rather than to
implant a nerve to fill in the
gap.
• a better alternative than nerve
graft
• Use different signals and
materials to develop a construct
that will help guide the
regrowing nerve to the proper
location.
R.V. Bellamkonda, Peripheral Nerve Regeneration: an Opinion on Channels,
Scaffolds and Anisotropy, Biomaterials 27 (2006)
Using a nerve guidance conduit, choose the appropriate cells, signals, and
scaffold factors to regrow the damaged nerve cell to restore arm function