Schwann cells are the glial cells of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). It has been reported that peripheral nerve grafts have the ability to enhance regeneration in spinal cord injuries and PNS. Schwann cells provide the primary supportive environment for regeneration within these grafts, as they produce permissive extracellular matrix (ECM), neurotrophic factors, cell adhesion molecules, and integrins. Therefore, Schwann cells have provided promising results for spinal cord repair. It has been demonstrated that Schwann cells can aid axonal regeneration across spinal cord transections, in adult rats, when implanted with Matrigel or combined with demyelination1 treatment.
Notably, highly pure cultures of Schwann cells can be reliably cultured from nerve autografts. This provides a good source for autologous Schwann cells that can be used for transplantation.
1 Demyelination allows Schwann cells to migrate beyond the site of implantation, allowing regeneration to take place over longer distance.
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