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Published: 1997

Total Pages: 0

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The overall focus of this project has been to understand the cellular and molecular biology of neuroma formation as a complication of damage to peripheral nerves. Several objectives have been clarified: 1) to establish in vitro models of cell lines of fibroblasts from normal peripheral nerves and neuromas that can be used to uncover the molecular mechanisms of the peripheral nerve fibroblast response to damage; 2) to understand the interactions of fibroblasts of peripheral nerve origin with cell signaling molecules in the neural environment after an injury and during the repair process; and 3) to understand the origin of pain that accompanies neuroma formation. It is not known how the cellular physiology of the entrapped nerve endings is affected by the dense collagenous mass of tissue that makes up the neuroma. However, it is clear that abnormalities develop in gated ion channels in the entrapped nerve endings and that the neuroma is formed by an exaggerated fibroblast response to nerve damage. Studies using fibroblasts cultured from peripheral human nerves have shown that these cells express basic fibroblast growth factor and its receptor. Immunohistochemical studies and quantitative Western blots have shown that basic fibroblast growth factor and its receptor are found in all tissue samples taken directly from human neuromas. The goal of these ongoing studies is to elucidate the mechanisms that regulate the activities of these cells in injury and repair and ultimately to determine potential approaches to modification of these mechanisms that may prevent the development of neuromas and their associated morbidities in traumatized tissues.