Objective: Evaluate the effects of optimized electrical stimulation on human neural crest stem cell (NCSC) transplantation for peripheral nerve regeneration following critical-sized sciatic nerve injury and repair
This is a Peripheral Nerve Injury and Repair Model protocol using rat as the model organism. The procedure involves 8 procedural steps, 2 equipment items, 1 materials. Extracted from a 2018 paper published in Biomaterials.
Model and subjects
rat • athymic nude • unknown • Not specified • Not specified • 60
Study window
~12 week study window
Core workflow
In vitro electrical stimulation optimization • Generation of critical-sized sciatic nerve injury • Surgical repair and group assignment
Primary readouts
Key equipment and reagents
Verified items
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Investigated effects of different stimulating pulse frequency, duration and field direction on human neural crest stem cell differentiation using the 96-well vertical ES platform
Note: Optimal conditions identified: 20 Hz, 100 microseconds pulse at a potential gradient of 200 mV/mm applied to cathodes
“We observed dendritic morphology with enhanced neuronal differentiation for NCSCs cultured on cathodes subject to 20 Hz, 100µs pulse at a potential gradient of 200 mV/mm”
Created 15 mm critical-sized sciatic nerve injuries in sixty athymic nude rats
Note: Injuries were followed by surgical repair
“15 mm critical-sized sciatic nerve injuries were generated with subsequent surgical repair in sixty athymic nude rats”
Injured animals were randomly assigned into five groups (N = 12 per group): blank control, ES, NCSC, NCSC + ES, and autologous nerve graft
Note: Random assignment to ensure unbiased group distribution
“Injured animals were randomly assigned into five groups (N = 12 per group): blank control, ES, NCSC, NCSC + ES, and autologous nerve graft”
Optimized ES was applied immediately after surgical repair for 1 hour in ES and NCSC + ES groups
Note: Applied immediately post-surgery using optimized parameters (20 Hz, 100 microseconds pulse, 200 mV/mm gradient)
“Optimized ES was applied immediately after surgical repair for 1 h in ES and NCSC + ES groups”
Gait analysis performed to assess locomotor recovery and nerve regeneration
Note: Conducted at 6 or 12 weeks post-surgery (N = 6 per group per timepoint)
“Recovery was assessed by behavioral (CatWalk gait analysis), wet muscle-mass, histomorphometric, and immunohistochemical analyses at either 6 or 12 weeks after surgery”
Gastrocnemius muscle wet mass measurements to assess muscle recovery and innervation
Note: Conducted at 6 or 12 weeks post-surgery (N = 6 per group per timepoint)
“Gastrocnemius muscle wet mass measurements in ES + NCSC group were comparable to autologous nerve transplantation”
Quantitative analysis of nerve tissue morphology and regeneration
Note: Conducted at 6 or 12 weeks post-surgery (N = 6 per group per timepoint)
“Quantitative histomorphometric analysis and catwalk gait analysis showed similar improvements by ES on NCSCs”
Assessment of viable NCSCs and Schwann cell differentiation in regenerated nerve tissue
Note: Conducted at 6 or 12 weeks post-surgery (N = 6 per group per timepoint); evaluated NCSC viability and SC differentiation
“A higher number of viable NCSCs was shown via immunochemical analysis, with higher Schwann cell (SC) differentiation in the NCSC + ES group compared to the NCSC group”
This section explains what the experiment is doing, which readouts matter, what the data artifacts usually look like, and how the analysis should flow from raw capture to reported result.
Evaluate the effects of optimized electrical stimulation on human neural crest stem cell (NCSC) transplantation for peripheral nerve regeneration following critical-sized sciatic nerve injury and repair
Objective
Evaluate the effects of optimized electrical stimulation on human neural crest stem cell (NCSC) transplantation for peripheral nerve regeneration following critical-sized sciatic nerve injury and repair
Subjects
From paperrat • athymic nude • unknown • Not specified • Not specified
Sample count
From paper60
Cohort notes
From paperRandomly assigned into five groups (N = 12 per group): blank control, ES, NCSC, NCSC + ES, and autologous nerve graft
In vitro electrical stimulation optimization (Not specified)
Generation of critical-sized sciatic nerve injury (Not specified)
Surgical repair and group assignment (Not specified)
Application of optimized electrical stimulation (1 hour)
Gastrocnemius muscle wet mass
From paperStatistical comparison between groups with p < 0.05 considered significant
Artifact type
Longitudinal gait metrics and per-animal performance tables
Comparison focus
Compare recovery trajectory across post-injury timepoints and treatment conditions
CatWalk gait analysis parameters
From paperStatistical comparison between groups with p < 0.05 considered significant
Artifact type
Longitudinal gait metrics and per-animal performance tables
Comparison focus
Compare recovery trajectory across post-injury timepoints and treatment conditions
Quantitative histomorphometric measurements
From paperStatistical comparison between groups with p < 0.05 considered significant
Artifact type
Longitudinal gait metrics and per-animal performance tables
Comparison focus
Compare recovery trajectory across post-injury timepoints and treatment conditions
Number of viable NCSCs via immunochemical analysis
From paperStatistical comparison between groups with p < 0.05 considered significant
Artifact type
Longitudinal gait metrics and per-animal performance tables
Comparison focus
Compare recovery trajectory across post-injury timepoints and treatment conditions
Gastrocnemius muscle wet mass
From paperRaw artifact
Per-run gait capture with paw placement, timing, and stride features for each animal
Processed artifact
Cleaned gait metrics table and recovery trend summary across timepoints
Final reported form
Group comparisons of gait indices, stride metrics, or recovery curves
CatWalk gait analysis parameters
From paperRaw artifact
Per-run gait capture with paw placement, timing, and stride features for each animal
Processed artifact
Cleaned gait metrics table and recovery trend summary across timepoints
Final reported form
Group comparisons of gait indices, stride metrics, or recovery curves
Quantitative histomorphometric measurements
From paperRaw artifact
Per-run gait capture with paw placement, timing, and stride features for each animal
Processed artifact
Cleaned gait metrics table and recovery trend summary across timepoints
Final reported form
Group comparisons of gait indices, stride metrics, or recovery curves
Number of viable NCSCs via immunochemical analysis
From paperRaw artifact
Per-run gait capture with paw placement, timing, and stride features for each animal
Processed artifact
Cleaned gait metrics table and recovery trend summary across timepoints
Final reported form
Group comparisons of gait indices, stride metrics, or recovery curves
Acquisition
Capture run-level gait data for each animal and preserve the timepoint or treatment labeling.
Preprocessing / cleaning
Statistical comparison between groups with p < 0.05 considered significant
Scoring or quantification
Quantify the primary readouts for this experiment: Gastrocnemius muscle wet mass; CatWalk gait analysis parameters; Quantitative histomorphometric measurements; Number of viable NCSCs via immunochemical analysis.
Statistical comparison
Statistical method not yet structured for this page.
Reporting output
Report representative outputs alongside summary comparisons for Gastrocnemius muscle wet mass, CatWalk gait analysis parameters, Quantitative histomorphometric measurements, Number of viable NCSCs via immunochemical analysis.
Source links and direct wording from the methods section for validation and deeper review.
Citation
Jian Du et al. (2018). Optimal electrical stimulation boosts stem cell therapy in nerve regeneration. Biomaterials
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Source access
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Steps
8
Evidence Quotes
11
Protocol Items
3
Linked Products
1
Canonical Sync
Pending
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Steps
8
Evidence
11
Specific Products
1/1
Canonical Sync
Pending
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