Severed nerves repaired in monkeys thanks to tubes of growth protein

By Gege Li

N.B. Fadia et al., Science Translational Medicine (2019)

Nerves damaged by injury can regrow with the help of a polymer tube filled with a growth-promoting protein. This new technique could help nerve fibres regenerate across wide gaps, limiting the loss of sensation or movement.

When a nerve is damaged, it can become crushed from applied pressure or severed entirely. If the crushing is severe – where both the nerve fibres and protective layer called the myelin sheath are damaged – surgeons may have to remove that part of …