@article {19530,
	title = {Gellan Gum-based luminal fillers for peripheral nerve regeneration: an in vivo study in the rat sciatic nerve repair model},
	journal = {BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE},
	volume = {6},
	year = {2018},
	month = {2018-05-01 00:00:00},
	pages = {1059-1075},
	publisher = {The Royal Society of Chemistry},
	abstract = {
Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) resulting in a gap to be bridged between the transected nerve ends are commonly reconstructed with autologous nerve tissue, but there is a need for valuable alternatives. This experimental work considers the innovative use of the biomaterial Gellan Gum (GG) as a luminal filler for nerve guidance channels made from chitosan with a 5\% degree of acetylation. The engineered constructs should remodel the structural support given to regenerating axons by the so-called bands of B{\"u}ngner. Four different GG formulations were produced by combining varying amounts of High-Acyl GG (HA-GG) and Methacrylated GG (MA-GG). The effective porosity of the freeze-dried networks was analysed by SEM and micro-CT 3D reconstructions, while the degradation and swelling abilities were characterized in vitro for up to 30 days. The metabolic activity and viability of immortalized Schwann cells seeded onto the freeze-dried networks were also evaluated. Finally, the developed hydrogel formulations were freezedried within the chitosan nerve guides and implanted in a 10 mm rat sciatic nerve defect. Functional and histomorphological analyses after 3, 6, and 12 weeks in vivo revealed that although it did not result in improved nerve regeneration, the NGC25:75 formulations could provide a basis for further development of GG scaffolds as luminal fillers for hollow nerve guidance channels.
},
	keywords = {Biomaterials, Gellan Gum, Peripheral Nerve Regeneration},
	issn = {45343},
	doi = {10.1039/c7bm01101f},
	url = {http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2018/BM/C7BM01101F},
	author = {Carvalho, C. R. and Wrobel, S. and Meyer, C. and Branderberger, C. and Cengiz, I. F. and L{\'o}pez-Cebral, R. and Silva-Correia, J. and Ronchi, J. and Reis, R. L. and Grothe, C. and Oliveira, J. M. and Haastert-Talini, K.}
}