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Regenerative Process (regenerative + process)
Selected AbstractsEffects of eccentric treadmill running on mouse soleus: degeneration/regeneration studied with Myf-5 and MyoD probesACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2003A.-S. Armand Abstract Aim:, The aim of this report is to show that eccentric exercise under well-controlled conditions is an alternative model, to chemical and mechanical analyses, and analyse the process of degeneration/regeneration in mouse soleus. Methods:, For this, mice were submitted to a single bout of eccentric exercise on a treadmill down a 14° decline for 150 min and the soleus muscle was analysed at different times following exercise by histology and in situ hybridization in comparison with cardiotoxin-injured muscles. Results:, We analyse the regenerative process by detection of the accumulation of transcripts coding for the two myogenic regulatory factors, Myf-5 and MyoD, which are good markers of the activated satellite cells. From 24 h post-exercise (P-E), clusters of mononucleated Myf-5/MyoD-positive cells were detected. Their number increased up to 96 h P-E when young MyoD-positive myotubes with central nuclei began to appear. From 96 to 168 h P-E the number of myotubes increased, about 10-fold, the new myotubes representing 58% of the muscle cells (168 h P-E). Conclusion:, These results show that this protocol of eccentric exercise is able to induce a drastic degeneration/regeneration process in the soleus muscle. This offers the opportunity to perform biochemical and molecular analyses of a process of regeneration without muscle environment defects. The advantages of this model are discussed in the context of fundamental and therapeutical perspectives. [source] Vascular regeneration and angiogenic-like sprouting mechanism in a compound ascidian is similar to vertebratesEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2008Fabio Gasparini SUMMARY Tunicates are useful models for comparing differing developmental processes such as embryogenesis, asexual reproduction, and regeneration, because they are the closest relatives to vertebrates and are the only chordates to reproduce both sexually and asexually. Among them, the ascidian Botryllus schlosseri displays high regenerative potential of the colonial circulatory system (CCS). The CCS runs in the common tunic, forming an anastomized network of vessels defined by simple epithelia and connected to the open circulatory system of the zooids. During asexual propagation, new vessels form by means of a tubular-sprouting mechanism, resembling that occurring in other metazoans, particularly during vertebrate angiogenesis. We studied the regeneration of experimentally ablated CCS by analyzing the general dynamics of reorganization of vessels and tunic, their ultrastructure, cell proliferation, and the immunohistology of regenerating structures using antibodies against vertebrate angiogenic factors-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and receptors: VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, and EGFR. Results show that the regenerative process of CCS occurs by a sprouting mechanism, with participation of angiogenic factors. They also show correspondence between the CCS sprouting of B. schlosseri and angiogenic sprouting in vertebrates, during both normal development and regeneration, and support the idea that this morphogenetic mechanism was co-opted during the evolution of various developmental processes in different taxa. [source] Interplay of hepatic and myeloid signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in facilitating liver regeneration via tempering innate immunity,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Hua Wang Liver regeneration triggered by two-thirds partial hepatectomy is accompanied by elevated hepatic levels of endotoxin, which contributes to the regenerative process, but liver inflammation and apoptosis remain paradoxically limited. Here, we show that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), an important anti-inflammatory signal, is activated in myeloid cells after partial hepatectomy and its conditional deletion results in an enhanced inflammatory response. Surprisingly, this is accompanied by an improved rather than impaired regenerative response with increased hepatic STAT3 activation, which may contribute to the enhanced liver regeneration. Indeed, conditional deletion of STAT3 in both hepatocytes and myeloid cells results in elevated activation of STAT1 and apoptosis of hepatocytes, and a dramatic reduction in survival after partial hepatectomy, whereas additional global deletion of STAT1 protects against these effects. Conclusion: An interplay of myeloid and hepatic STAT3 signaling is essential to prevent liver failure during liver regeneration through tempering a strong innate inflammatory response mediated by STAT1 signaling. (HEPATOLOGY 2010.) [source] Dysplasia and carcinoma development in a repeated dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis modelJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 10 2002Isao Okayasu Abstract Background: As an important mechanism underlying the increased risk of colorectal carcinoma development in patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis, promotion as a result of the regenerative process has been proposed. In the present study, a dysplasia-carcinoma sequence in a novel repeated colitis model in mice is documented. Methods: Repeated colitis was induced by nine administration cycles of 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS; molecular weight, 54 000): each administration cycle comprised 3% DSS for 7 days followed by distilled water for the subsequent 14 days, to give conditions similar to the clinically observed active and remission phases in humans. Results: Multiple colorectal tumors (nine low- and four high-grade dysplasias and two carcinomas) developed in 25 mice. These neoplastic lesions consisted of tubular structures, presenting as various types of elevated, flat and depressed tumor, similar to those in ulcerative colitis patients. A time-course study with assessment of the severity of colitis and in vivo bromodeoxyuridine uptake during a single 3% DSS administration cycle revealed a high level of regenerative activity in the colitis-affected mucosal epithelia. Conclusion: Thus, with the present repeated colitis model, regeneration and neoplastic lesions were apparent, the biological features of which provide evidence of a colorectal dysplasia,invasive carcinoma sequence in ulcerative colitis. [source] Bioavailability and efficacy of antisense morpholino oligomers targeted to c- myc and cytochrome P-450 3A2 following oral administration in ratsJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 4 2002Vikram Arora Abstract Antisense phosphorodiamidate Morpholino oligomers (PMO) are resistant to degradation by cellular hydrolases, DNases, RNases, and phosphodiesterases, but remain sensitive to prolonged exposure to low pH. The present studies evaluate the oral fractional bioavailability, stability, and efficacy of two distinct PMO sequences targeted to c- myc and cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 3A2. The c- myc antisense 20-mer, AVI-4126 (5,-ACGTTGAGGGGCATCGTCGC-3,), slowed the regenerative process in the rat liver after a 70% partial hepatectomy (PH). Rats were administered 3.0 mg/kg AVI-4126 in 0.1 mL saline via a bolus intravenous injection or in 0.5 mL sterile phosphate-buffered saline via gavage immediately following PH. The areas under the plasma concentration versus time curves revealed a fractional oral availability of 78.8% over a period of 10 min through 24 h. Immunoblot analysis of liver tissue from rats treated orally with AVI-4126 demonstrated a sequence-specific reduction in the target protein c-Myc, as well as secondary proliferation markers: proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1, and p53. The CYP3A2 antisense 22-mer AVI-4472 (5,-GAGCTGAAAGCAGGTCCATCCC-3,) caused a sequence-dependent reduction of approximately five-fold in the rat liver CYP3A2 protein levels and erythromycin demethylation activity in 24 h following oral administration at a dose of 2 mg/kg. It is concluded that oral administration of PMOs can inhibit c- myc and CYP3A2 gene expression in rat liver by an antisense-based mechanism of action. These studies highlight the potential for development of PMOs as orally administered therapeutic agents. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 91:1009,1018, 2002 [source] The age-related decrease in CNS remyelination efficiency is caused by an impairment of both oligodendrocyte progenitor recruitment and differentiationNEUROPATHOLOGY & APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002C. Zhao Developing strategies to reverse the age-associated decline in CNS remyelination requires the identification of how the regenerative process is impaired. We have addressed whether remyelination becomes slower because of an impairment of recruitment of oligodendrocyte progenitors (OPs) or, an impairment of OP differentiation into remyelinating oligodendrocytes. The OP response during remyelination of focal, toxin-induced CNS demyelination in young and old rats was compared by in situ hybridization using probes to PGDF-,R, and the OP transcription factor, MyT1. The expression patterns for both OP markers are very similar and reveal a delay in the colonization of the demyelinated focus with OPs in the old animals compared to young. By comparing the mRNA expression pattern MyT1 with that of the myelin proteins MBP and Gtx, we have found that in the old animals there is also a delay in OP differentiation, which increases with longer survival times. These results indicate that the age-associated decrease in remyelination efficiency occurs because of an impairment of OP recruitment and their subsequent differentiation into remyelinating oligodendrocytes, and that strategies aimed at ameliorating the age-associated decline in remyelination efficiency will therefore need to promote both components of the regenerative process. [source] Stem cells in the periodontal ligamentORAL DISEASES, Issue 4 2006S Ivanovski The ability to identify and manipulate stem cells has been a significant advancement in regenerative medicine and has contributed to the development of tissue engineering-based clinical therapies. Difficulties associated with achieving predictable periodontal regeneration, means that novel techniques such as tissue engineering need to be developed in order to regenerate the extensive soft and hard tissue destruction that results from periodontitis. One of the critical requirements for a tissue engineering approach is the delivery of ex vivo expanded progenitor populations or the mobilization of endogenous progenitor cells capable of proliferating and differentiating into the required tissues. By definition, stem cells fulfill these requirements and the recent identification of stem cells within the periodontal ligament represents a significant development in the progress toward predictable periodontal regeneration. In order to explore the importance of stem cells in periodontal wound healing and regeneration, this review will examine contemporary concepts in stem cell biology, the role of periodontal ligament progenitor cells in the regenerative process, recent developments in identifying periodontal stem cells and the clinical implications of these findings. [source] Enamel matrix proteins; old molecules for new applicationsORTHODONTICS & CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2009SP Lyngstadaas Structured Abstract Authors,,, Lyngstadaas SP, Wohlfahrt JC, Brookes SJ, Paine ML, Snead ML, Reseland JE Emdogain® (enamel matrix derivative, EMD) is well recognized in periodontology, where it is used as a local adjunct to periodontal surgery to stimulate regeneration of periodontal tissues lost to periodontal disease. The biological effect of EMD is through stimulation of local growth factor secretion and cytokine expression in the treated tissues, inducing a regenerative process that mimics odontogenesis. The major (>95%) component of EMD is Amelogenins (Amel). No other active components have so far been isolated from EMD, and several studies have shown that purified amelogenins can induce the same effect as the complete EMD. Amelogenins comprise a family of highly conserved extracellular matrix proteins derived from one gene. Amelogenin structure and function is evolutionary well conserved, suggesting a profound role in biomineralization and hard tissue formation. A special feature of amelogenins is that under physiological conditions the proteins self-assembles into nanospheres that constitute an extracellular matrix. In the body, this matrix is slowly digested by specific extracellular proteolytic enzymes (matrix metalloproteinase) in a controlled process, releasing bioactive peptides to the surrounding tissues for weeks after application. Based on clinical and experimental observations in periodontology indicating that amelogenins can have a significant positive influence on wound healing, bone formation and root resorption, several new applications for amelogenins have been suggested. New experiments now confirm that amelogenins have potential for being used also in the fields of endodontics, bone regeneration, implantology, traumatology, and wound care. [source] In vitro viability of human cavernosal endothelial and fibroblastic cells after exposure to papaverine/phentolamine and prostaglandin E1BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 9 2005Adrian Pilatz OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of commercially available vasoactive drugs on human cavernosal endothelial and fibroblastic cells in vitro, as although corporal fibrosis is a well known side-effect of intracavernosal injection therapy for erectile dysfunction, the possible detrimental effect of these agents on the endothelium lining the cavernosal vascular spaces is uncertain. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cultured primary endothelial (13) and fibroblastic cells (12), obtained from potent patients undergoing penile surgery, were exposed to different physiological dilutions of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), papaverine/phentolamine or the respective triple-mix of these agents for 30 min. Viable cells were counted and cell metabolic activity measured in these cultures 48 h after drug exposure. RESULTS There was a significant dose-dependent decrease in the viable cell count after exposure to papaverine-containing formulations, probably because of the low pH of this substance. This cytotoxic effect was more pronounced in endothelial than in fibroblastic cells, and was not apparent in the PGE1 groups. The relative increase in cell metabolic activity in cultures affected by a moderate cytotoxic effect indicated a regenerative process. CONCLUSION These comparative results in endothelial and fibroblastic cell cultures suggest that the endothelium rather than the interstitium of the corpus cavernosum is more sensitive to side-effects produced by intracavernosal injection therapy with papaverine. Thus, unfavourable consequences on the function of the endothelial layer might be as important as the risk of interstitial fibrosis. As these effects were not detected for PGE1 this drug should be preferred to papaverine in clinical practice. [source] Nonregenerative stimulation of hepatocyte proliferation in the rat: Variable effects in relation to spontaneous liver growth; a possible link with metabolic inductionCELL PROLIFERATION, Issue 5 2000C. Nadal Three procedures were used to stimulate hepatocyte proliferation in the rat without reducing liver mass, resulting in a supplementary growth which differs from the regenerative growth observed after loss of liver mass by hepatectomy or toxic necrosis. They were: (a) the ingestion of cyproterone, a cytochrome P450 inducing drug (b) the injection of an irritant which provokes glycogenesis and synthesis of acute-phase proteins (c) the injection of albumin-bound bilirubin leading to elimination of glucuronated bilirubin in bile. This ensuing supplementary growth was studied in the rat under several conditions of hepatic proliferation: 1In normal adult rats, in which hepatocyte proliferation is very low, the effect on proliferation was either weak or undetectable. 2In suckling rats, with a rapid body and liver growth, all the stimulants provoked a synchronized wave of proliferation with a steep increase of the percentage of S-phase hepatocytes from 4.5% in controls to 15,30% in treated rats. This increase was followed by a compensatory period of low proliferation during which a treatment with a second stimulant was much less effective. 3In 2/3 hepatectomized adult rats, the proliferation induced by cyproterone was higher than the spontaneous regenerative proliferation alone and additional to it during all of the regenerative process. The proliferation induced by acute inflammation was competitive with the synchronous spontaneous proliferation during the early period of synchronized proliferation following surgery, suggesting that both are similar acute responses. Differently, during the late period of lower and unsynchronized regenerative proliferation, the proliferation provoked by acute inflammation was additional to the spontaneous one. A stimulation of proliferation by injection of the albumin-bilirubin complex was observed during the late period after 2/3 hepatectomy. The highest level of stimulation occurred when the liver growth and the hepatocyte proliferation were already high. This suggests that these stimulants are not complete mitogenic stimuli and need cofactors which are present during the spontaneous growth or, alternatively, that the effect of stimulants is opposed by an inhibitory mechanism present in the adult rat. [source] Characterization of a novel NCAM ligand with a stimulatory effect on neurite outgrowth identified by screening a combinatorial peptide libraryEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 9 2002Lars C. B. Rønn Abstract The neural cell adhesion molecule, NCAM, plays a key role in neural development and plasticity mediating cell adhesion and signal transduction. By screening a combinatorial library of synthetic peptides with NCAM purified from postnatal day 10 rat brains, we identified a nonapeptide, termed NCAM binding peptide 10 (NBP10) and showed by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis that it bound the NCAM IgI module of NCAM. NBP10 modulated cell aggregation as well as neurite outgrowth induced specifically by homophilic NCAM binding. Moreover, both monomeric and multimeric forms of NBP10 stimulated neurite outgrowth from primary hippocampal neurons. The neurite outgrowth response to NBP10 was inhibited by a number of compounds previously shown to inhibit neurite outgrowth induced by homophilic NCAM binding, including voltage-dependent calcium channel antagonists, suggesting that NBP10 induced neurite outgrowth by activating a signal transduction pathway similar to that activated by NCAM itself. Moreover, an inhibitor of intracellular calcium mobilization, TMB-8, prevented NBP10-induced neurite outgrowth suggesting that NCAM-dependent neurite outgrowth also requires mobilization of calcium from intracellular calcium stores in addition to calcium influx from extracellular sources. By single-cell calcium imaging we further demonstrated that NBP10 was capable of inducing an increase in intracellular calcium in PC12E2 cells. Thus, the NBP10 peptide is a new tool for the study of molecular mechanisms underlying NCAM-dependent signal transduction and neurite outgrowth, and could prove to be a useful modulator of regenerative processes in the peripheral and central nervous system. [source] Pulsed Signal Therapy® for the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions: a millennium paradigmINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RHEUMATIC DISEASES, Issue 3 2004Richard MARKOLL Abstract Reports and reviews from various sources, including the World Health Organization and United Nations Population Division, confirm the general increasing trend in the ageing population groups worldwide. There are over 150 types of musculoskeletal conditions, with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, low back pain and limb trauma, accounting for the greatest impact on the population at large. Osteoarthritis (OA) is predicted to become the fourth leading cause of disability by the year 2020. The most common medication prescribed for OA is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These have long been associated with numerous adverse effects, are costly and short-term in their ,therapeutic' effect. Pulsed Signal Therapy® (PSTÔ) is an innovative treatment modality for musculoskeletal conditions. It has been commercially available since 1992, is currently employed in at least 800 clinics and/or medical institutes, and to-date, no adverse effects have been reported. Furthermore, it is non-invasive, non-pharmacological, painless, with long-term follow-up, and sustained efficacy. When connective tissue is injured and physiological signalling is disturbed or absent, PSTÔ, as the external, biophysical signal (stimulus) of physiological energy parameters and waveform, passively induces ,fluid flow' in the injured area, creating ,streaming potentials', that induce biophysical-biochemical coupling, subsequent signal transduction, to activate repair and regenerative processes. In doing so, it restores the innate, physiological signalling to enable these regenerative and repair processes to continue naturally. [source] Functional hepatic recovery after xenotransplantation of cryopreserved fetal liver cells or soluble cell-factor administration in a cirrhotic rat model: Are viable cells necessary?JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 7pt2 2008Olga V Ochenashko Abstract Background and Aim:, Chronic liver failure results in the decrease of the number of functioning hepatocytes. It dictates the necessity of using exogenous viable cells or/and agents that can stimulate hepatic regenerative processes. Fetal liver contains both hepatic and hematopoietic stem cells with high proliferative potential, which may replace damaged cells. Also, immature cells produce fetal-specific factors which may support the injured liver. Our aim was to test the ability of human fetal liver cells and cell-free fetal-specific factors of non-hepatic origin to stimulate recovery processes in an experimental model of carbon tetrachloride,induced cirrhosis in rats. Methods:, Cirrhotic rats were intrasplenically injected with fetal liver cells (1 × 107 cells/0.3 mL medium) or cell-free fetal-specific factors (0.3 mL/1 mg protein). Control groups received medium alone. Serum indexes, hepatic functions, and morphology were evaluated for 15 days. Result:, Human fetal liver cell transplantation was shown to abrogate the mortality of cirrhotic animals, to improve serum markers, and to restore liver mitochondrial function and detoxification. Morphological patterns of liver recovery were observed by histology. In comparison, an injection of fetal-specific factors produced similar functional recovery, whilst a more limited liver regeneration was observed by histology. Conclusions:, The positive effects of fetal liver cell and cell-free fetal-specific factors in experimental cirrhosis may result from the presence of stage-specific factors activating hepatocellular repair. [source] Degenerative and regenerative processes involved in midgut pseudotumor formation in the stick insect (Carausius morosus)JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 12 2009Paul Hoffmann Abstract Spontaneous and experimentally induced pseudotumor formation in Carausius morosus impairs the midgut tissue homeostasis. Spontaneous pseudotumor formation begins by the break down of a single or a small group of columnar cells (CCs) and is followed by the degeneration of neighboring CCs. There are not only marked similarities but also decisive differences between normal dying CCs in healthy specimens and the degeneration of CCs leading to pseudotumors: in both cases, the apical cell parts with the nucleus are extruded into the midgut lumen, but only during of pseudotumor formation an "amorphous substance" originates from the basal parts of the CCs. Hemocytes are attracted to this substance and form a nodule-like aggregation, which is responsible for the phenotype of pseudotumors. Pseudotumor infestation has also an impact on the midgut nidi, which consist of an intestinal stem cell and several CC progenitor cells. In healthy specimens only one progenitor cell per nidus differentiates at a time, but, several to all progenitor cells differentiate simultaneously in pseudotumor-infested specimens. Extirpation of the ingluvial ganglion in healthy specimens results in an immediate onset of pseudotumor formation and a dramatic acceleration of pseudotumor growth. Importantly, the ultrastructural characteristics of spontaneous and experimentally induced pseudotumors are identical. This supports the idea that the stomatogastric nervous system plays an integral role in the maintenance of midgut tissue homeostasis. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Local isoform-specific NOS inhibition: A promising approach to promote motor function recovery after nerve injuryJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 9 2010Bernardo Moreno-López Abstract Physical injury to a nerve is the most frequent cause of acquired peripheral neuropathy, which is responsible for loss of motor, sensory and/or autonomic functions. Injured axons in the peripheral nervous system maintain the capacity to regenerate in adult mammals. However, after nerve transection, stumps of damaged nerves must be surgically joined to guide regenerating axons into the distal nerve stump. Even so, severe functional limitations persist after restorative surgery. Therefore, the identification of molecules that regulate degenerative and regenerative processes is indispensable in developing therapeutic tools to accelerate and improve functional recovery. Here, I consider the role of nitric oxide (NO) synthesized by the three major isoforms of NO synthases (NOS) in motor neuropathy. Neuronal NOS (nNOS) seems to be the primary source of NO that is detrimental to the survival of injured motoneurons. Endothelial NOS (eNOS) appears to be the major source of NO that interferes with axonal regrowth, at least soon after injury. Finally, NO derived from inducible NOS (iNOS) or nNOS is critical to the process of lipid breakdown for Wallerian degeneration and thereby benefits axonal regrowth. Specific inhibitors of these isoforms can be used to protect injured neurons from degeneration and promote axonal regeneration. A cautious proposal for the treatment of acquired motor neuropathy using therapeutic tools that locally interfere with eNOS/nNOS activities seems to merit consideration. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Spatiotemporal changes of apolipoprotein E immunoreactivity and apolipoprotein E mRNA expression after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in rat brainJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 4 2003Hiroshi Kamada Abstract Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a constituent of lipoprotein and plays an important role in the maintenance of neural networks. However, spatiotemporal differences in ApoE expression and its long-term role in neural process after brain ischemia have not been studied. We investigated changes of ApoE immunoreactivity and ApoE mRNA expression both in the core and in the periischemic area at 1, 7, 21, or 56 days after 90 min of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Double stainings for ApoE plus NeuN or plus ED1 were performed in order to identify cell type of ApoE-positive stainings. The maximal increase of ApoE expression was observed at 7 days in the core and at 7 and 21 days in the periischemic area. In the core, ApoE plus NeuN double-positive cells increased at 1 and 7 days, without ApoE mRNA expression, whereas they increased in the periischemic area, with a peak at 21 days, with ApoE mRNA expression in glial cells but not in neurons. On the other hand, ApoE plus ED1 double-positive cells increased only in the core, with a peak in number at 7 and 21 days and marked ApoE mRNA expression in macrophages. The present study suggests that ApoE plays various important roles in different type of cells, reflecting spatiotemporal dissociation between degenerative and regenerative processes after brain ischemia, and that ApoE is profoundly involved in pathological conditions, such as brain ischemia. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Pulsed electromagnetic fields induce peripheral nerve regeneration and endplate enzymatic changesBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 1 2005J.A. De Pedro Abstract An experimental study was carried out in rats with the purpose of demonstrating the capacity of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) to stimulate regeneration of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Wistar and Brown Norway (BN) rats were used. Direct sciatic nerve anastomoses were performed after section or allograft interposition. Treatment groups then received 4 weeks of PEMFs. Control groups received no stimulation. The evaluation of the results was carried out by quantitative morphometric analysis, demonstrating a statistically significant increase in regeneration indices (P,<,0.05) in the stimulated groups (9000,±,5000 and 4000,±,6000) compared to the non-stimulated groups (2000,±,4000 and 700,±,200). An increase of NAD specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) activity was found along with an increase in the activity of acetyl cholinesterase at the motor plate. The present study might lead to the search for new alternatives in the stimulation of axonal regenerative processes in the PNS and other possible clinical applications. Bioelectromagnetics 26:20,27, 2005. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | |||||||||||||