Using Chitosan/polyethylen Oxide (Cs/PEO) as a Scaffold and Wharton Jelly-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation on the Repair of Transcected Sciatic Nerve in Wistar Rats: A Behavioral and Histological Study

Background and The aim of this study was to determine the effects of chitosan/polyethylene oxide (Cs/PEO) scaffold and human mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton’s jelly (WJ-hMSCs) on regeneration of the sciatic nerve injury in rats.
In this research, 42 adult male rats were divided into six groups. 1-Normal (intact) group: healthy rats without any nerve transection; 2- Control group: sciatic nerve was cut and sutured; 3- Sham group: culture medium was injected; 4- Cs/PEO group: scaffold with a thin Cs/PEO was used around the injury site; 5- WJ-hMSC group: WJ-hMSCs injected around the site of injury, and 6- WJ-hMSCs-Cs/PEO group: WJ-hMSCs were seeded on Cs/PEO membrane and used around the injury site. Behavioral assessments were done at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks following the surgery. Histological evaluation was performed at the end of the study.
Our results showed that behavioral values in experimental groups significantly increased when compared to intact group (P This study showed the positive effects of chitosan/polyethylene oxide scaffold and human mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton’s jelly on nerve regeneration of transected sciatic nerve in rat model.