ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of diabetes mellitus and fibroblast growth factor(FGF) on healing process of nerve defect in rat. Sixty-three adult female Wistar rats weighing between 200 and 250g were divided into a control group(32) and a diabetic group(31). To make diabetic rats, Streptozotocin(50mg/kg) was injected into tail vein after dissolution in saline solution. Each group was further divided into two subgroups respectively, FGF and non-FGF, according to the filling material of the silicone tube. A 5mm segmental defect was made at right sciatic nerve. Both proximal and distal nerve ends were connected with 9mm long silicone tube with internal diameter of 1.57mm. The defect was filled with 10ul FGF(recombinant bovine basic-fibroblast growth factor: final concentration 400ng/ml)-collagen solution(FGF group) or 10ul collagen(Vitrogen 100: final concentration 2.4mg/ml) solution(non-FGF group). After 2 and 4 weeks, electromyographic studies including the latency and the amplitude of action potentials in soleus muscle of the operated limb were checked. After the sacrifice, the regenerated nerves were examined histologically after toluidine blue staining. Cross-sectional area, the number of myelinated axons, non-neuronal cells and vessels were recorded at mid-chamber cross section. Statistical analysis was carried out with the results. From these results, it would be suggested that diabetes mellitus retarded the healing process of sciatic nerve defect in rat, however FGF prompted and accelerated the healing process both in control and diabetic groups so as to overcome the adverse effect of diabetes mellitus.