Injectable peripheral nerve specific hydrogel
The present invention relates to a peripheral nerve-specific hydrogel material, which is deliverable in a minimally invasive fashion, sustains the growth of neurons, and speeds recovery following surgical reconstruction.
1. A method of repairing a nerve injury, comprising injecting a hydrogel comprising a decellularized peripheral nerve scaffold that has been enzymatically degraded, so as to bridge a gap in the nerve.
2. The method of claim 1 , where the gap is a critically sized defect.
3. The method of claim 1 , where the hydrogel is injected into a conduit.
4. The method of claim 2 , where the hydrogel is injected into a conduit.
5. The method of claim 1 , where the peripheral nerve is non-autologous to an intended recipient of the hydrogel.
6. The method of claim 5 , where the peripheral nerve is from an organism that is the same species as the intended recipient.
7. The method of claim 5 , where the peripheral nerve is from an organism that is not the same species as the intended recipient.
8. A method of promoting incorporation of a graft to repair a gap in a nerve, comprising providing, into the gap, a graft and a hydrogel comprising a decellularized peripheral nerve scaffold that has been enzymatically degraded.
9. The method of claim 8 , where the gap is a critically sized defect.
10. The method of claim 8 , where the hydrogel is injected into a conduit.
11. The method of claim 9 , where the hydrogel is injected into a conduit.
12. The method of claim 8 , where the peripheral nerve is non-autologous to an intended recipient of the hydrogel.
13. The method of claim 12 , where the peripheral nerve is from an organism that is the same species as the intended recipient.
14. The method of claim 12 , where the peripheral nerve is from an organism that is not the same species as the intended recipient.