Axonal regeneration and the recovery of nerve conduction in peripheral nervous system
10.3760/cma.j.cn114453-20200710-00415
- VernacularTitle:神经轴突再生与神经冲动的恢复
- Author:
Sisi LUO
1
;
Yangqun LI
Author Information
1. 中国医学科学院北京协和医学院整形外科医院整形二科，北京 100144
- Keywords:
Peripheral nerve injuries;
Axonal regeneration;
Microenvironment;
Schwann cell
- From:
Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery
2023;39(2):225-230
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) represents a major clinical and public health that often leads to significant functional impairment and permanent disability, resultsing in severe disability with substantial social and personal cost. Despite advanced microsurgical techniques, functional recovery after PNI repair is often unsatisfactory. Therefore, there is an unmet need for adjunctive strategies to promote the functional recovery with a better understanding of the pathophysiology and molecular basis of axon regeneration neurophysiology. Compared with the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system injury can be accompanied with a more active regeneration response, including the intrinsic growth ability and the formation of a suitable regeneration microenvironment. Morphologically, axon regeneration goes through a series of complex physiological processes, such as the establishment of axon regeneration channel, Schwann cells(SCs) dedifferentiate to a progenitor-like state and efficiently guide axons to their original target tissues and the myelination of axon regeneration. Regenerative microenvironment involves complex biomolecule changes at the biomolecule level, such as nerve regeneration signal transduction, microtubule dynamics, expression of genes related to regeneration in neurons and SCs, inflammatory response, neurotrophic factors, changes of extracellular matrix and so on. SCs and distal nerves play a leading role in the process of peripheral nerve chemotaxis regeneration. Local immune response and scar formation after nerve injury are the most important inhibitory factors in the process of axonal regeneration. Following a nerve injury, peripheral neurons have the ability to regrow their axons that remyelinate and reestablish functional connections with targets and recovery of nerve impulse conduct. The ion channel is the basis and premise of nerve electrophysiology. When the axon is locally damaged with sodium channel dissipating, the sodium channel redistributes and forms a new Ranvier node following axon regeneration to keep excitability of regenerated fibers. So that nerve impulses can continue to conduct along the axon, laying the foundation for the recovery of neuroelectrophysiological function. Current experimental researches in peripheral nerve regeneration aim to accelerate the process of regeneration and improve the definition of regenerated axon functions using bioengineering of sophisticated nerve conduits, SCs transplantation and stem cell engineering. Growth factors have been studied to improve and accelerate nerve repair and regeneration by reducing neuronal death and promoting axonal outgrowth. This article reviews the progress in molecular cytology of axonal regeneration and nerve impulse recovery after peripheral nerve injury in order to explore the essence and law of peripheral nerve regeneration.
