The effects of cold preservation and subimmunosuppressive doses of FK506 on axonal regeneration in murine peripheral nerve isografts

摘要

BACKGROUND:FK506 is a frequently used immunosuppressant with neuroregenerative effects. The neuroregenerative and immunosuppressive mechanisms of FK506, however, are distinct, suggesting that FK506 may stimulate nerve regeneration at lower doses than are needed to induce immunosuppression. The effects of cold preservation, a technique known to improve axonal regeneration through nerve allografts, are not well studied in nerve isografts and are also reported here.