Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells versus adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells for peripheral nerve regeneration

Studies have confirmed that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) can be used for treatment of several nervous system diseases. However, isolation of bone marrow-derived MSCs(BMSCs) is an invasive and painful process and the yield is very low. Therefore, there is a need to search for other alterative stem cell sources. Adipose-derived MSCs(ADSCs) have phenotypic and gene expression profiles similar to those of BMSCs. The production of ADSCs is greater than that of BMSCs, and ADSCs proliferate faster than BMSCs. To compare the effects of venous grafts containing BMSCs or ADSCs on sciatic nerve injury, in this study, rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham(only sciatic nerve exposed), Matrigel(MG; sciatic nerve injury + intravenous transplantation of MG vehicle), ADSCs(sciatic nerve injury + intravenous MG containing ADSCs), and BMSCs(sciatic nerve injury + intravenous MG containing BMSCs) groups. Sciatic functional index was calculated to evaluate the function of injured sciatic nerve. Morphologic characteristics of nerves distal to the lesion were observed by toluidine blue staining. Spinal motor neurons labeled with Fluoro-Gold were quantitatively assessed. Compared with sham-operated rats, sciatic functional index was lower, the density of small-diameter fibers was significantly increased, and the number of motor neurons significantly decreased in rats with sciatic nerve injury. Neither ADSCs nor BMSCs significantly improved the sciatic nerve function of rats with sciatic nerve injury, increased fiber density, fiber diameters, axonal diameters, myelin sheath thickness, and G ratios(axonal diameter/fiber diameter ratios) in the sciatic nerve distal to the lesion site. There was no significant difference in the number of spinal motor neurons among ADSCs, BMSCs and MG groups. These results suggest that neither BMSCs nor ADSCs provide satisfactory results for peripheral nerve repair when using MG as the conductor for engraftment.     

The use of a muscle graft to repair a segmentary nerve defect. An experimental study using the sciatic nerve of rats as model

The use of a devitalized skeletal muscle graft and conventional nerve graft to repair a 5mm long segmentary sciatic nerve lesion was studied in rats by means of functional, morphometric and spinal cord motor neuron cell response evaluation. Thirty-four rats were used and divided into four groups according to the procedure: (1) sham operation; (2) conventional nerve grafting; (3) muscle grafting; (4) unrepaired lesion. The sciatic functional index (SFI) was evaluated every fortnight up to the 105th postoperative day by measuring three parameters in the rats' footprint. The animals of Groups 2 and 3 presented initial complete functional loss, followed by slow but steady recovery, with final similar SFIs. The histologic and morphometric studies showed an increased small diameter/thin myelin sheath nerve fiber density distally to the lesion site for both types of graft. An increased population of motor neurons was observed in the anterior horn of the lumbar spinal cord segment with both types of grafts, but not in the control groups. The SFI, histologic and morphometric data did not differ significantly between the two types of graft, thus indicating a similar behavior. The authors conclude that a 5mm long skeletal muscle graft works as well as a conventional nerve graft.     

Cryopreservation of rat peripheral nerve segments later used for transplantation

Segments of the sciatic nerve of adult rats were stored in liquid nitrogen for three weeks before being used to repair transected sciatic nerves of four other adult rats of the same strain. Eight months later the animals that had received the cryopreserved segments were sacrificed and compared with two animals that had received fresh autografts. The muscular innervation by the repaired nerves was evaluated by histological methods and electromyographic recordings. No differences between fresh transplanted grafts and cryopreserved grafts were found. This indicates that cryopreserved mature peripheral nerve segments can be used to repair peripheral nerve damage in the rat.     

Can therapeutic ultrasound influence the regeneration of peripheral nerves?

An experimental study of the influence of the therapeutic ultrasound on the regeneration of the sciatic nerve submitted to a controlled crush injury was carried out in rats. Twenty female Wistar rats weighing 250g on average were used and divided into two groups of 10 animals each, respectively, submitted to: (1) crush injury followed by ultrasound irradiation and (2) crush injury only. Under general anaesthesia the sciatic nerve was exposed on the right thigh and crushed with a device especially developed and built for this purpose, with a 15,000g constant load for 10min, affecting a 5mm-long segment of the nerve proximal to its bifurcation. Pulsed ultrasound irradiation (1:5, 1MHz, 0.4W/cm(2), 2min duration) was started the day after the operation and repeated for 10 consecutive days. The sciatic functional index (SFI) was evaluated at weekly intervals up to the third week, when the animal was killed for histologic and nerve fiber density studies of the sciatic nerve carried out on the lesion site and on the segments immediately proximal and distal to it. The SFI progressively improved for both treated and untreated nerves but in a more marked and significant way for the treated nerves (73 and 55%, respectively). Nerve fiber density did no return to normal in either case but was significantly higher in the treated nerves, with predominance of small diameter thin myelin sheath fibers typical of nerve regeneration in the treated nerves, as opposed to large diameter thin myelin sheath fibers in the untreated nerves. The authors conclude that low intensity therapeutic ultrasound enhances nerve regeneration, as demonstrated with significance on the 21st postoperative day.     

Directly applied low intensity direct electric current enhances peripheral nerve regeneration in rats

The influence of direct electric stimulation on nerve regeneration was studied in a model of crush injury of the sciatic nerve of rats. Forty-three rats were used and distributed in four groups according to the procedure: (1) intact nerve, inactive circuit; (2) crush injury, inactive circuit; (3) intact nerve, active circuit; (4) crush injury, active circuit. The low intensity continuous current circuit (1 microA) was implanted in the lumbar region, the anode being fixed to the muscles proximally and the cathode below the nerve distally to the lesion site. The Sciatic Functional Index (SFI) was evaluated at weekly intervals for 3 weeks, the sciatic nerve being resected on the 21st day for histologic and morphometric studies. The SFI progressively improved and the average fiber nerve density recovered to a nearly normal value in Group 2 and increased in Group 4 compared with the control groups (1 and 3), but this was accompanied by a decreased average fiber nerve diameter. Both number and diameter of inter and intra-fascicular blood vessels increased in the stimulated nerves. We conclude that low intensity direct electric stimulation enhances nerve regeneration following a controlled nerve crush injury and increases blood supply by increasing number and diameter of vasa nervorum.     

Electrical field effects on crushed nerve regeneration.

The delivery of an electrical field to a transected nerve has been shown to enhance the regeneration. This study examined the effects of such fields on the regeneration of crushed rat sciatic nerve during the first postoperative month. The treated (T) nerve group received a battery implant delivering 10 microA with the cathode at the distal stump. The recovery was compared to an untreated (UT) group and unoperated controls (C). The loss of locomotion behavior and partial recovery (SFI) was identical for the T and UT groups. The index of motor recovery (twitch tension) was also similar (T/C = 48%, UT/C = 53%), but a "window" of enhancement occurred 2-4 days earlier in the T group. Qualitative histology at 28 days suggested a more healthy and normal-appearing nerve in the T group. Morphometric analysis indicated that the nerve area, fiber density, and fiber number in the T group were more similar to those in the control group than to those in the UT group. There were no group differences in the number of HRP-labeled motoneurons, but the enlarged endoneurial space was significantly reduced in the T group compared to the UT group. In conclusion, electrical fields appeared to have a small effect on some aspects of nerve regeneration following crush injury.     

Long-term functional and morphological assessment of a standardized rat sciatic nerve crush injury with a non-serrated clamp

We have recently described the sequence of functional and morphologic changes occurring after a standardized sciatic nerve crush injury. An 8-week post-injury time was used because this end point is the far most used. Unexpectedly, both functional and morphological data revealed that animals had still not recovered to normal pre-injury levels. Therefore, the present study was designed in order to prolong the observation up to 12 weeks. Functional recovery was evaluated using sciatic functional index (SFI), static sciatic index (SSI), extensor postural thrust (EPT), withdrawal reflex latency (WRL) and ankle kinematics. In addition, quantitative morphology was carried out on regenerated nerve fibers. A full functional recovery was predicted by SFI/SSI, EPT and WRL but not all ankle kinematics parameters. Moreover, only two morphological parameters (myelin thickness/axon diameter ratio and fiber/axon diameter ratio) returned to normal values. Data presented in this paper provide a baseline for selecting the adequate end-point and methods of recovery assessment for a rat sciatic nerve crush study and suggest that the combined use of functional and morphological analysis should be recommended in this experimental model.     

Two-dimensional digital video ankle motion analysis for assessment of function in the rat sciatic nerve model

Ankle motion analysis may provide a better method to assess function in the rat sciatic nerve model than the standard method, the sciatic functional index (SFI), but it is not widely used in experiments on nerve regeneration possibly because of complicated analysis. In this study, we investigated the practical use of a two-dimensional (2D) digital video motion analysis system. Reproducibility was investigated in normal rats. Recovery of ankle motion was analyzed after sciatic, tibial, and peroneal nerve crush injury. Results were compared with scores for the SFI. Results were not significantly different from animal-to-animal and day-to-day. Interobserver variability also was small. In the analysis of recovery after separate nerve crush injuries, subtle differences in ankle plantar flexion and dorsiflexion could be detected. The method was also more sensitive than the SFI: whereas scores for the SFI had returned to normal 4 weeks after sciatic nerve crush injury, the ankle angle at mid-stance was still significantly different from that in sham-operated animals 6 weeks after the injury. 2D digital video ankle motion analysis is a practical and sensitive method to assess function in the rat sciatic nerve model.     

Combining chitin biological conduits with small autogenous nerves and platelet-rich plasma for the repair of sciatic nerve defects in rats

AimsPeripheral nerve defects are often difficult to recover from, and there is no optimal repair method. Therefore, it is important to explore new methods of repairing peripheral nerve defects. This study explored the efficacy of nerve grafts constructed from chitin biological conduits combined with small autogenous nerves (SANs) and platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) for repairing 10‐mm sciatic nerve defects in rats.MethodsTo prepare 10‐mm sciatic nerve defects, SANs were first harvested and PRP was extracted. The nerve grafts consisted of chitin biological conduits combined with SAN and PRP, and were used to repair rat sciatic nerve defects. These examinations, including measurements of axon growth efficiency, a gait analysis, electrophysiological tests, counts of regenerated myelinated fibers and observations of their morphology, histological evaluation of the gastrocnemius muscle, retrograde tracing with Fluor‐Gold (FG), and motor endplates (MEPs) distribution analysis, were conducted to evaluate the repair status.ResultsTwo weeks after nerve transplantation, the rate and number of regenerated axons in the PRP‐SAN group improved compared with those in the PRP, SAN, and Hollow groups. The PRP‐SAN group exhibited better recovery in terms of the sciatic functional index value, composite action potential intensity, myelinated nerve fiber density, myelin sheath thickness, and gastrectomy tissue at 12 weeks after transplantation, compared with the PRP and SAN groups. The results of FG retrograde tracing and MEPs analyses showed that numbers of FG‐positive sensory neurons and motor neurons as well as MEPs distribution density were higher in the PRP‐SAN group than in the PRP or SAN group.ConclusionsNerve grafts comprising chitin biological conduits combined with SANs and PRP significantly improved the repair of 10‐mm sciatic nerve defects in rats and may have therapeutic potential for repairing peripheral nerve defects in future applications.     

Allograft pretreatment for the repair of sciatic nerve defects: green tea polyphenols versus radiation

Pretreatment of nerve allografts by exposure to irradiation or green tea polyphenols can eliminate neuroimmunogenicity, inhibit early immunological rejection, encourage nerve regeneration and functional recovery, improve tissue preservation, and minimize postoperative infection. In the present study, we investigate which intervention achieves better results. We produced a 1.0 cm sciatic nerve defect in rats, and divided the rats into four treatment groups: autograft, fresh nerve allograft, green tea polyphenol-pretreated(1 mg/m L, 4°C) nerve allograft, and irradiation-pretreated nerve allograft(26.39 Gy/min for 12 hours; total 19 k Gy). The animals were observed, and sciatic nerve electrophysiology, histology, and transmission electron microscopy were carried out at 6 and 12 weeks after grafting. The circumference and structure of the transplanted nerve in rats that received autografts or green tea polyphenol-pretreated nerve allografts were similar to those of the host sciatic nerve. Compared with the groups that received fresh or irradiation-pretreated nerve allografts, motor nerve conduction velocity in the autograft and fresh nerve allograft groups was greater, more neurites grew into the allografts, Schwann cell proliferation was evident, and a large number of new blood vessels was observed; in addition, massive myelinated nerve fibers formed, and abundant microfilaments and microtubules were present in the axoplasm. Our findings indicate that nerve allografts pretreated by green tea polyphenols are equivalent to transplanting autologous nerves in the repair of sciatic nerve defects, and promote nerve regeneration. Pretreatment using green tea polyphenols is better than pretreatment with irradiation.     

Effects of motor versus sensory nerve grafts on peripheral nerve regeneration

Autologous nerve grafting is the current standard of care for nerve injuries resulting in a nerve gap. This treatment requires the use of sensory grafts to reconstruct motor defects, but the consequences of mismatches between graft and native nerve are unknown. Motor pathways have been shown to preferentially support motoneuron regeneration. Functional outcome of motor nerve reconstruction depends on the magnitude, rate, and precision of end organ reinnervation. This study examined the role of pathway type on regeneration across a mixed nerve defect. Thirty-six Lewis rats underwent tibial nerve transection and received isogeneic motor, sensory or mixed nerve grafts. Histomorphometry of the regenerating nerves at 3 weeks demonstrated robust nerve regeneration through both motor and mixed nerve grafts. In contrast, poor nerve regeneration was seen through sensory nerve grafts, with significantly decreased nerve fiber count, percent nerve, and nerve density when compared with mixed and motor groups (P < 0.05). These data suggest that use of motor or mixed nerve grafts, rather than sensory nerve grafts, will optimize regeneration across mixed nerve defects.     

Bridging peripheral nerve defects with muscle-vein combined guides

Various tubulization techniques can be used to bridge peripheral nerve lesions with substance loss. Among the different materials that have been used so far in alternative to traditional fresh nerve autografts, fresh muscle-vein combined conduits (made by a vein segment filled with fresh skeletal muscle) proved to be particularly effective. In this study, nerve repair of 10-mm long nerve defects by means of muscle-vein combined tubes was compared with repair by means of traditional nerve autografts in the rat sciatic nerve experimental model. Results did not reveal any significant difference between the two groups of regenerated nerves with respect to the total number, mean density and mean size of myelinated nerve fibers. In addition, we also report the results of an experimental study in the rabbit sciatic nerve model, which showed that fresh skeletal muscle enrichment of the vein segment made it possible to bridge 55-mm long nerve gaps. These results provide further evidence of the effectiveness of fresh muscle-vein combined grafts and support the view that this type of conduit can be used also for repairing long nerve gaps.     

An index of the functional condition of rat sciatic nerve based on measurements made from walking tracks

There is no widely accepted quantitative method for evaluating the functional effects of peripheral nerve damage in animals. In the present study, a method for evaluating sciatic nerve damage was developed from measurements of the prints of the hind feet of walking rats preserved on X-ray film. Four variables were measured from these tracks, and comparisons between the damaged (experimental) and intact (normal) side were converted to percent deficits and averaged to obtain a “sciatic functional index” (SFI). The SFI was then measured under normal conditions, after nerve transection, nerve crush, and sham procedures. Reliability and repeatability of the SFI were found to be excellent. The effects of sciatic nerve transection and nerve crush evaluated by this method agreed very well with other methods of evaluating nerve damage. We conclude that the SFI provides a simple, accurate, reliable, and repeatable method for evaluating the functional condition of sciatic nerve in rats.     

Histologic assessment of sciatic nerve regeneration following resection and graft or tube repair in the mouse

The present study determines the number and morphology of myelinated fibers that regenerate after resection of the mouse sciatic nerve. In different groups of mice, a resection of 4 or 6 mm of the sciatic nerve was left unrepaired, repaired with silicone or collagen guides or by an autologous nerve graft of the same or smaller calibre. Regeneration was examined, under light microscopy, 3 months after operation and quantified by morphometric analysis of light micrographs of cross-sectional nerve fibers. The results show that, without repair, few nerve fibers reach the distal nerve stump, while tubulization or autografts allowed better regeneration. Tube repair allowed a comparable degree of regeneration to that of an autograft with 4 mm gaps, but lower with 6 mm gaps. Regeneration was limited with a gap of 6 mm in silicone tubes, but was successful in half the mice with collagen tubes. The size and myelination of regenerated fibers were below normal values in all experimental groups, although they were closer to normal with sciatic autografts than after smaller grafts and tubulization. There were no signs of secondary degeneration in the nerve regenerates within silicone and collagen tubes. ? 1996 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.     

The impact of motor and sensory nerve architecture on nerve regeneration

Sensory nerve autografting is the standard of care for injuries resulting in a nerve gap. Recent work demonstrates superior regeneration with motor nerve grafts. Improved regeneration with motor grafting may be a result of the nerve's Schwann cell basal lamina tube size. Motor nerves have larger SC basal lamina tubes, which may allow more nerve fibers to cross a nerve graft repair. Architecture may partially explain the suboptimal clinical results seen with sensory nerve grafting techniques. To define the role of nerve architecture, we evaluated regeneration through acellular motor and sensory nerve grafts. Thirty-six Lewis rats underwent tibial nerve repairs with 5 mm double-cable motor or triple-cable sensory nerve isografts. Grafts were harvested and acellularized in University of Wisconsin solution. Control animals received fresh motor or sensory cable isografts. Nerves were harvested after 4 weeks and histomorphometry was performed. In 6 animals per group from the fresh motor and sensory cable graft groups, weekly walking tracks and wet muscle mass ratios were performed at 7 weeks. Histomorphometry revealed more robust nerve regeneration in both acellular and cellular motor grafts. Sensory groups showed poor regeneration with significantly decreased percent nerve, fiber count, and density (p < 0.05). Walking tracks revealed a trend toward improved functional recovery in the motor group. Gastrocnemius wet muscle mass ratios show a significantly greater muscle mass recovery in the motor group (p < 0.05). Nerve architecture (size of SC basal lamina tubes) plays an important role in nerve regeneration in a mixed nerve gap model.     

Androgen induced acceleration of functional recovery after rat sciatic nerve injury

PURPOSE: Testosterone (T) treatment accelerates recovery from facial paralysis after facial nerve crush in hamsters. In this study, we extended those studies to another injury model and asked the following question: Will T treatment accelerate recovery from lower limb paralysis following sciatic nerve crush in the rat? METHODS: Castrated adult male rats received a right side sciatic nerve crush at the level of the sciatic notch, with the left side serving as control. Half the animals received a subcutaneous implant of a propionated form of T (TP), the others were sham-implanted. Weekly testing using the Sciatic Functional Index (SFI), a quantitative measure of locomotion, was done for 7 weeks postoperative (wpo). RESULTS: Between 3 and 5 weeks post-op, the average SFI score of the TP-treated group was higher than controls. This difference was significant at 4 wpo, indicating an accelerated degree of functional recovery. At these timepoints, the differences were attributable to the footprint or paw length and associated with calf muscle reinnervation rather than the toespreading component associated with intrinsic foot muscle rein-nervation. Beyond 5 wpo, there were no differences in the SFI scores. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that, as with facial nerve regeneration in the hamster, testosterone accelerates functional recovery from hind limb paralysis following sciatic nerve injury in the rat. While the responses of spinal motoneurons to injury can differ from those of cranial motoneurons, in this case it appears that they share a similar response to the trophic actions of androgen. This is important in the context of designing therapeutic strategies for dealing with direct trauma to motoneurons resulting from both peripheral and central nervous system trauma, such as spinal cord injury.     

Functional evaluation of peripheral nerve regeneration in the rat: walking track analysis.

The experimental model of choice for many peripheral nerve investigators is the rat. Walking track analysis is a useful tool in the evaluation of functional peripheral nerve recovery in the rat. This quantitative method of analyzing hind limbs performance by examining footprints, known as the sciatic function index (SFI), has been widely used to quantify functional recovery from sciatic nerve injury in a number of different injury models, although some limitations of the SFI has been questioned by several authors. This article is designed to offer the peripheral nerve investigator a noninvasive method to evaluate quantitatively the integrated motor recovery in experimental studies.     

The end-to-side peripheral nerve repair. Functional and morphometric study using the peroneal nerve of rats

Morphologic and functional recovery following an end-to-side repair was studied comparatively with conventional end-to-end repair in a model of peroneal nerve lesion in rats. Twenty-eight rats were used and divided into four groups according to the reparative procedure following nerve division: (1) nerve stumps buried into neighboring muscles (n = 8); (2) conventional end-to-end repair (n = 7); (3) end-to-side repair onto the tibial nerve (n = 8); (4) sham operation (n = 5). The sciatic functional index (SFI) was evaluated at weekly intervals for 8 weeks, the peroneal nerve being resected on the 56th day for histologic and morphometric studies. The SFI progressively improved in Groups 2 (-16.9) and 3 (-22.7), although it did not reach normal values (around -8). The average nerve fiber density increased to normal values in both Groups 2 and 3, although accompanied by a marked decrease of average minimal and maximal nerve fiber diameter, myelin sheath area and G quotient. The differences between Groups 2 and 3 or Groups 2 and 4 were not significant. We conclude that, although resulting in significant morphologic and functional recovery, end-to-side repair is not as efficient as the conventional end-to-end nerve repair. However, end-to-side repair has a potential for application in selected cases in humans.     

骨髓间充质细胞构建组织工程神经修复坐骨神经缺损

背景：许旺细胞是周围神经组织工程的种子细胞,但体外分离、培养、纯化许旺细胞较困难。脱细胞同种异体神经移植物具有较强的修复外周神经缺损的能力,且可诱导骨髓间充质细胞分化为类许旺细胞,理论上骨髓间充质细胞可替代许旺细胞作为种子细胞应用于周围神经组织工程。 目的：观察骨髓间充质细胞构建组织工程神经修复坐骨神经缺损的效果,评估骨髓间充质细胞作为种子细胞修复周围神经缺损的可行性。 设计、时间及地点：随机对照动物实验,于2008-07/12在大理学院基础医学院实验室完成。 材料：将30只SD大鼠按随机数字表法分为3组,每组10只。骨髓间充质细胞+异体移植组将骨髓间充质细胞复合脱细胞同种异体神经移植物培养的组织工程神经与两断端用10/0 无创线端端吻合;异体移植组将脱细胞同种异体神经移植物桥接;自体移植组将切断的坐骨神经旋转180°端端吻合。 方法：运用骨髓间充质细胞构建的组织工程神经修复大鼠10 mm坐骨神经缺损,移植后12周通过坐骨神经功能指数、腓肠肌湿质量恢复率、S-100免疫组织化学染色、电镜等方法观察移植物修复效果。 主要观察指标：复合物培养时观察细胞形态的变化;移植后观察坐骨神经功能指数及腓肠肌湿质量恢复率;通过甲苯胺蓝染色观察新生髓鞘形成和轴突生长及神经纤维的分布情况,结合透射电镜及S-100蛋白免疫组织化学染色,观察许旺细胞生长和神经纤维再生情况。 结果：坐骨神经功能指数及腓肠肌湿质量恢复率的检测结果显示骨髓间充质细胞+异体移植组优于异体移植组(P < 0.05)。骨髓间充质细胞+异体移植组复合物中S-100的表达明显高于异体移植组,有髓神经纤维数量、有髓纤维直径和髓鞘厚度均大于异体移植组(P < 0.05),修复效果接近自体移植组。 结论：骨髓间充质细胞构建的组织工程神经修复周围神经缺损的效果优于单纯的脱细胞同种异体神经移植物,骨髓间充质细胞作为种子细胞在周围神经组织工程中具有较强的应用价值。     

Characterization of nerve and microvessel damage and recovery in type 1 diabetic mice after permanent femoral artery ligation

Neuropathy is the most common complication of the peripheral nervous system during the progression of diabetes. The pathophysiology is unclear but may involve microangiopathy, reduced endoneurial blood flow, and tissue ischemia. We used a mouse model of type 1 diabetes to study parallel alterations of nerves and microvessels following tissue ischemia. We designed an easily reproducible model of ischemic neuropathy induced by irreversible ligation of the femoral artery. We studied the evolution of behavioral function, epineurial and endoneurial vessel impairment, and large nerve myelinated fiber as well as small cutaneous unmyelinated fiber impairment for 1 month following the onset of ischemia. We observed a more severe hindlimb dysfunction and delayed recovery in diabetic animals. This was associated with reduced density of large arteries in the hindlimb and reduced sciatic nerve epineurial blood flow. A reduction in sciatic nerve endoneurial capillary density was also observed, associated with a reduction in small unmyelinated epidermal fiber number and large myelinated sciatic nerve fiber dysfunction. Moreover, vascular recovery was delayed, and nerve dysfunction was still present in diabetic animals at day 28. This easily reproducible model provides clear insight into the evolution over time of the impact of ischemia on nerve and microvessel homeostasis in the setting of diabetes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.