Figure 4.

(a) Scanning electron microscope image of the electrospun PLGA/PCL nerve guide conduit. Scale bar, 500 µm. (b–d) Longitudinal sections of nerve regenerated within the implanted guide channel. In the conduit, the regenerated nerve bridged the 10 mm gap, reconnecting the two sciatic nerve stumps. (a) Four months after surgery, haematoxylin–eosin staining shows the presence of regenerated tissue filling the conduit lumen; decreased lumen diameter is observable at middle length of the guidance channel. Regenerated tissue positive to Bielschowsky staining (b) and to anti-β-tubulin antibody (c) shows nervous projections oriented along the major axis of the prosthesis bridging the 10 mm gap between the severed sciatic nerve stumps (image sequence collected at 4× magnification). Adapted from Panseri et al. (2008). Reprinted with permission from BioMed Central.