The gold standard for peripheral nerve regeneration uses a sensory autograft to bridge a motor/sensory defect site. For motor nerves to regenerate, Schwann cells (SC) myelinate the newly grown axon. Sensory SCs have a reduced ability to produce myelin, partially explaining low success rates of autografts. This issue is masked in pre‐clinical research by the excessive use of the rat sciatic nerve defect model, utilizing a mixed nerve with motor and sensory SCs. Aim of this study was to utilize extracorporeal shockwave treatment as a novel tool to influence SC phenotype. SCs were isolated from motor, sensory and mixed rat nerves and in vitro differences between them were assessed concerning initial cell number, proliferation rate, neurite outgrowth as well as ability to express myelin. We verified the inferior capacity of sensory SCs to promote neurite outgrowth and express myelin‐associated proteins. Motor Schwann cells demonstrated low proliferation rates, but strongly reacted to pro‐myelination stimuli. It is noteworthy for pre‐clinical research that sciatic SCs are a strongly mixed culture, not representing one or the other. Extracorporeal shockwave treatment (ESWT), induced in motor SCs an increased proliferation profile, while sensory SCs gained the ability to promote neurite outgrowth and express myelin‐associated markers. We demonstrate a strong phenotype commitment of sciatic, motor, and sensory SCs in vitro, proposing the experimental use of SCs from pure cultures to better mimic clinical situations. Furthermore we provide arguments for using ESWT on autografts to improve the regenerative capacity of sensory SCs.

中文翻译：

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运动和感觉雪旺氏细胞表型承诺通过体外冲击波治疗在体外减少。

周围神经再生的金标准使用自体感觉移植来桥接运动/感觉缺损部位。为了使运动神经再生，许旺细胞（SC）使新生长的轴突髓鞘化。感觉SCs产生髓磷脂的能力降低，部分解释了自体移植的成功率低。在临床前研究中，由于过度使用大鼠坐骨神经缺损模型，将神经与运动和感觉SC混合使用，掩盖了这个问题。这项研究的目的是利用体外冲击波治疗作为一种新的工具来影响SC表型。从运动，感觉和混合大鼠神经中分离出SC，并在体外评估它们之间的差异，包括初始细胞数，增殖率，神经突向外生长以及表达髓磷脂的能力。我们验证了感觉SCs促进神经突生长和表达髓磷脂相关蛋白的能力较弱。运动雪旺氏细胞表现出低增殖率，但对促髓鞘形成刺激强烈反应。在临床前研究中值得注意的是，坐骨神经SC是一种强烈混合的文化，并不代表任何一种。体外冲击波治疗（ESWT）诱导了运动性SC的增生，而感觉性SC则具有促进神经突生长和表达髓磷脂相关标记的能力。我们展示了坐骨神经，运动和感觉SC在体外的强表型承诺，提出了从纯培养物中SC的实验用途，以更好地模仿临床情况。此外，我们提供了在自体移植物上使用ESWT来改善感觉SC的再生能力的论据。