Advancements in Peripheral Nerve Injury Research Using Lab Animals
Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) commonly result from trauma, compression, or iatrogenic causes, leading to functional deficits. Despite the peripheral nervous system’s regenerative capacity, current treatments yield inconsistent outcomes. Basic science and translational research supporting nerve re...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Anatomia |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0545/4/2/8 |
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| author | Natalia A. Pluta Manuela Gaviria Casey M. Sabbag Shauna Hill |
| author_facet | Natalia A. Pluta Manuela Gaviria Casey M. Sabbag Shauna Hill |
| author_sort | Natalia A. Pluta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) commonly result from trauma, compression, or iatrogenic causes, leading to functional deficits. Despite the peripheral nervous system’s regenerative capacity, current treatments yield inconsistent outcomes. Basic science and translational research supporting nerve repair remain underdeveloped, partly due to the absence of standardized protocols, limiting reproducibility. Animal models are essential for studying injury mechanisms, repair strategies, and therapeutic development. This review examines commonly used animal models in PNI research, from non-mammalian species to rodents and large mammals. We discuss the relevance of injury types, experimental variables (i.e., age, sex, nerve type), and study design elements (i.e., nerve gap size, injury induction methods). Assessing these models’ strengths and limitations, this review aims to guide researchers in selecting appropriate models that enhance preclinical relevance. It also addresses the need for standardized protocols and future directions for improving PNI research and patient outcomes. Various PNI treatments—including microsurgery, nerve grafts, scaffolds, stem cells, immunomodulators, nerve augmentation strategies, and polyethylene glycol-mediated fusion—have been developed using animal models. These models are essential for driving innovation and translating emerging therapies to improve outcomes across a broad range of peripheral nerve injuries. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0844adfce6a64f34a57c19476e407224 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2813-0545 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Anatomia |
| spelling | doaj-art-0844adfce6a64f34a57c19476e4072242025-08-20T03:30:25ZengMDPI AGAnatomia2813-05452025-05-0142810.3390/anatomia4020008Advancements in Peripheral Nerve Injury Research Using Lab AnimalsNatalia A. Pluta0Manuela Gaviria1Casey M. Sabbag2Shauna Hill3F. Edward Hérbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USADepartment of Orthopaedics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USADepartment of Orthopaedics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USAMetis Foundation, 84 NE Interstate 410 Loop # 325, San Antonio, TX 78216, USAPeripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) commonly result from trauma, compression, or iatrogenic causes, leading to functional deficits. Despite the peripheral nervous system’s regenerative capacity, current treatments yield inconsistent outcomes. Basic science and translational research supporting nerve repair remain underdeveloped, partly due to the absence of standardized protocols, limiting reproducibility. Animal models are essential for studying injury mechanisms, repair strategies, and therapeutic development. This review examines commonly used animal models in PNI research, from non-mammalian species to rodents and large mammals. We discuss the relevance of injury types, experimental variables (i.e., age, sex, nerve type), and study design elements (i.e., nerve gap size, injury induction methods). Assessing these models’ strengths and limitations, this review aims to guide researchers in selecting appropriate models that enhance preclinical relevance. It also addresses the need for standardized protocols and future directions for improving PNI research and patient outcomes. Various PNI treatments—including microsurgery, nerve grafts, scaffolds, stem cells, immunomodulators, nerve augmentation strategies, and polyethylene glycol-mediated fusion—have been developed using animal models. These models are essential for driving innovation and translating emerging therapies to improve outcomes across a broad range of peripheral nerve injuries.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0545/4/2/8peripheral nerve injuryanimal modeltransectioncompressionconstrictionischemia-reperfusion |
| spellingShingle | Natalia A. Pluta Manuela Gaviria Casey M. Sabbag Shauna Hill Advancements in Peripheral Nerve Injury Research Using Lab Animals Anatomia peripheral nerve injury animal model transection compression constriction ischemia-reperfusion |
| title | Advancements in Peripheral Nerve Injury Research Using Lab Animals |
| title_full | Advancements in Peripheral Nerve Injury Research Using Lab Animals |
| title_fullStr | Advancements in Peripheral Nerve Injury Research Using Lab Animals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Advancements in Peripheral Nerve Injury Research Using Lab Animals |
| title_short | Advancements in Peripheral Nerve Injury Research Using Lab Animals |
| title_sort | advancements in peripheral nerve injury research using lab animals |
| topic | peripheral nerve injury animal model transection compression constriction ischemia-reperfusion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0545/4/2/8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nataliaapluta advancementsinperipheralnerveinjuryresearchusinglabanimals AT manuelagaviria advancementsinperipheralnerveinjuryresearchusinglabanimals AT caseymsabbag advancementsinperipheralnerveinjuryresearchusinglabanimals AT shaunahill advancementsinperipheralnerveinjuryresearchusinglabanimals |