Fig. 5
Implantation of nerve protectors repopulated with GMSC-derived Schwann-like cells promotes axonal regeneration and remyelination of crush-injured rat sciatic nerves. a Toluidine blue staining of semi-thin sections of the injured nerves from different groups of rats at 4 weeks post-injury and implantation. Scale bars, 20 µm. b Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of ultrathin sections of the injured sciatic nerves from different groups of rats at 4 weeks post-injury and implantation. Scale bars, 4 µm. c Quantification of the density of myelinated axons (the number of myelinated axons/1000 µm2). d Quantification of the thickness of the myelin sheaths. e Calculation of the G-ratios (the inner axonal diameter/the outer myelinated fiber diameter). Data are shown as the mean ± SD. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; ns, no significance. One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s posttest. Abbreviations: NP, nerve protector; NP/GiSCs, nerve protectors repopulated with GMSC-derived Schwann-like cells (GiSC)