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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: Hand Clin. 2011 Nov;27(4):495–509. doi: 10.1016/j.hcl.2011.07.002

Figure 1. Schwann cell migration.

Figure 1

In the nerve autograft (top), autologous Schwann cells (SCs) support axonal regeneration through the graft, and there is no migration of SCs from within the graft or from the proximal and distal stumps. In the nerve allograft (middle), donor SCs initially support axonal regeneration but may be replaced over time as the graft is repopulated by inward migration of host SCs from both the proximal and distal nerve stumps. In the composite tissue allograft (bottom), only unidirectional host SC migration is possible. It is unknown whether host SCs are capable of replicating and migrating enough to repopulate the distal-most extent of the nerve. (Adapted from Moore AM et al. Nerve allotransplantation as it pertains to composite tissue transplantation. Hand. 2009;4:239-44; with permission.)