Posttraumatic nerve repair continues to be a major challenge in
restorative medicine and microsurgery. Although progress has been made
in surgical techniques over the last 30 years, functional recovery after
a severe lesion of a major nerve trunk is often incomplete and often
unsatisfactory. Functional recovery after surgical repair of mixed
nerves is even more disappointing. Functional recovery after peripheral
nerve lesion is dependent upon accurate regeneration of axons to their
original target tissues. Thus, in order to enhance regeneration, a
better understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of selective
nerve regeneration is required. Schwann cells and their endoneurial
extracellular matrix play pivotal roles in the selective promotion of
motor and sensory axon regeneration. Knowledge of these mechanisms
allows for the better development of biocompatible nerve grafting
material. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
