An experimental study of nerve regeneration through chemically treated allografts.

We carried out experiments in rabbits to determine whether treating nerve transplants with gradually increasing concentrations of ethanol, ether and ficin would inhibit the graft-host immune reaction to the allograft. After treatment with ethanol, the basal laminar scaffold of the Schwann cell remained intact and there was satisfactory axonal regeneration. The results after additional treatment with ether or ficin did not achieve such good results. Preservation of the basal lamina is considered to be the essential factor in allowing neural regeneration in these circumstances.