PMID: 22335146Feb 18, 2012Paper

The use of chitosan to facilitate nerve regeneration

Wiadomości lekarskie : organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego
Adam WłaszczukJoanna Lewin-Kowalik

Abstract

Chitosan, a biopolymer derived from chitin, biocompatible, biodegradable and antibacterial, has many medical applications. For more than a decade scientists have been studying the influence of chitosan on facilitating regeneration of peripheral nerves and neurons of central nervous system in animal models. First clinical attempts have also commenced. Because of many modifications that can be applied to chitosan, e.g. combining with drugs, growth factors, nerve stem cells, and connecting with other biopolymers, this material seems very promising. In this article the authors present the results of worldwide performed experiments concerning the use of chitosan to facilitate nerve regeneration. This work contains description of experiments which used chitosan as: cell culture medium, drug carrier, chitosan tunnels, sponge, fibers, films, multichannel and multicomponent chitosan conduits, chitooligosaccharides and the influence of all chitosan forms listed above on regenerating neurons.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Adult Stem Cells

Adult stem cells reside in unique niches that provide vital cues for their survival, self-renewal, and differentiation. They hold great promise for use in tissue repair and regeneration as a novel therapeutic strategies. Here is the latest research.