OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of tissue specificity of neurotropism in peripheral nerve regeneration, we investigated the biological characteristics of the nerve regeneration conditioned fluids(NRCF) on motoneuron of SD rats cultured in vitro. METHODS: Silicon chambers were sutured respectively to the distal stumps of motorial branch of femoral nerve and saphenous nerve to collect NRCF, namely MD-NRCF and SD-NRCF. The rats cortex motoneuron were divided into 4 groups and cocultured with MD-NRCF, SD-NRCF, b-FGF and serum-free medium respectively. The cultured cells were photoed under phase-contrast microscope, their longest neurites and cell-body areas were measured by cell image processing computer system. MTT automated colorimetric microassay was also adopted to quantify the activation of cultured motoneurons in each group. RESULTS: Cells of MD-NRCF group had longer neurites than those of the other three groups, and their activation was also superior to those of the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that MD-NRCF has more significantly neurite-promoting and neurobiological effects on motoneuron than SD-NRCF and b-FGF.
There are various types of methods to treat lymphedema. A new pneumatic compression device have been developed. Thirty patients with lymphedema were treated by cyclic pneumatic compression device with satisfactory results. After treatment, the reduction in size of the edematous limbs was obvious. The indications, mechanism of action, advantages and drawbacks of the therapeutic method were discussed.
Twenty patients with chronic lymphedema had been treated by microwave heating. T-lympocyte subpopulation and HLA-DR phenotype of peripheral blood in patientswith lymphedema were examined by using dual colour flow cytometry before and after treatment. We found that CD4 (T helpe/inducer) in chronic lymphedema decreased significantly (Plt;0.01), HLA-DR increased significantly (P lt;0.05). After the microwave treatment, the CD4, CD4/CD8 ratio increased significantly; HLA-DR, HLA-DR+CD+8 lymphocyte reduced. It was clear that microwave could regulate the immunological disorder of lymphedema patients.
OBJECTIVE To observe the character of local and systemic immune responses in chronic limb lymphedema, and to investigate the effect of microwave on immunological response. METHODS From November 1996 to February 1998, 27 patients with chronic limb lymphedema were adopted in this study. Among them, there were 11 males and 16 females, the average age was 36.6 years. These patients were classified as the experimental group and 10 healthy volunteers as the control group. Before and after microwave heating and bandaging treatment, T and B lymphocyte in peripheral blood and skin infiltrating cells in the patients and volunteers were detected and phenotyped with alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase(APAAP) and avidin biotin peroxidase complex (ABC) immunohistochemical methods respectively. RESULTS There were decreases of CD4+ T lymphocyte and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ in peripheral blood and predominant dermal perivascular T lymphocyte infiltration in chronic limb lymphedema patients. After two courses of microwave heating and bandaging treatment, it was found that the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes increased and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was restored to normal levels, and dermal perivascular T lymphocyte infiltration decreased greatly. CONCLUSION Microwave heating and bandaging treatment can modulate the systemic and local immunological imbalance of chronic limb lymphedema.