Name: fabrication of the composite regenerative peripheral nerve interface (c-rpni) in the adult rat
Uploaded: 2020-02-25T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Fabrication of the Composite Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface C-RPNI in the Adult Rat at JoVE.com

The authors wish to thank Jana Moon for expert technical assistance. Studies presented in this paper were funded through an R21 (R21NS104584) grant to SK.

All animal experiments are performed under the approval of the University of Michigan&#39;s Committee on the Use and Care of Animals.
NOTE: Donor rats are allowed free access to food and water prior to skin and muscle donation procedures. Euthanasia is performed under deep anesthesia followed by intra-cardiac potassium chloride injection with a secondary method of bilateral pneumothorax. Any strain of rat can theoretically be utilized with this experiment; however, our laboratory has achieved ...

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The C-RPNI is a novel construct that provides simultaneous amplification of a target nerve&#39;s motor efferent signals with provision of afferent sensory feedback. In particular, the C-RPNI has unique utility for those living with proximal amputations as their motor and sensory fascicles cannot easily be mechanically separated during surgery. Instead, the C-RPNI utilizes the inherent preferential reinnervation properties of the nerve itself to encourage sensory fiber reinnervation to dermal sensory end organs and motor ...

Extremity amputations affect nearly 1 in 190 Americans1, and their prevalence is projected to increase from 1.6 million today to over 3.6 million by 20502. Despite documented use for over a millennium, the ideal prosthetic has yet to be realized3. Currently, there exist complex prosthetics capable of multiple joint manipulations with the potential to reproduce many motor functions of the native extremity4,5. However, these devices are not considered intuitive as the desired prosthetic motion is typically functionally separate from the input control signal. Users typically consider these &#34;advanced prosthetics&#34; difficult to learn and therefore not suitable for everyday use1,6. Additionally, complex prosthetics currently on the market do not provide any appreciable degree of subtle sensory feedback for adequate control. The sense of touch and proprioception are vital to carrying out daily tasks, and without these, simple acts such as picking up a cup of coffee become burdensome as it relies entirely on visual cues7,8,9. For these reasons, advanced prostheses are associated with a significant degree of mental fatigue and are often described as burdensome and unsatisfactory5,10,11. To address this, some research laboratories have developed prosthetics capable of providing a limited degree of sensory feedback via direct neural interaction12,13,14,15, but feedback is often limited to small, scattered areas on the hands and fingers12,13, and sensations were noted to be painful and unnatural at times15. Many of these studies unfortunately lack any appreciable long-term follow-up and nerve histology to delineate local tissue effects, while noting interface failure on the scale of weeks to months16.
For this population, the ideal prosthetic device would provide high fidelity motor control alongside meaningful somatosensory feedback from the individual&#39;s environment throughout their lifetime. Critical to the design of said ideal prosthetic is the development of a stable, reliable interface that would allow for simultaneous transmission of afferent somatosensory information with efferent motor signals. The most promising of current human-machine interfaces are those that interact with the peripheral nervous system directly, and recent developments in the field of neuro-integrated prosthetics have worked towards bridging the gap between bioelectric and mechanical signals17. Current interfaces utilized include: flexible nerve plates14,15,18, extra-neural cuff electrodes13,19,20,21,22,23, tissue penetrating electrodes24,25,31,32, and intrafascicular electrodes26,27,28. However, each of these methods has demonstrated limitations with regards to nerve specificity, tissue injury, axonal degeneration, myelin depletion, and/or scar tissue formation associated with chronic indwelling foreign body response16,17,18,19. More recently, it has been postulated that a driver behind eventual implanted electrode failure is the significant difference in Young&#39;s moduli between electronic material and native neural tissue. Brain tissue is subject to significant micromotion on a daily basis, and it has been theorized that the shear stress induced by differences in Young&#39;s moduli causes inflammation and eventual permanent scarring30,31,32. This effect is often compounded in the extremities, where peripheral nerves are subject to both physiologic micromotion and intentional extremity macromotion. Due to this constant motion, it is reasonable to conclude that utilization of a completely abiotic peripheral nerve interface is not ideal, and an interface with a biologic component would be more suitable.
To address this need for a biologic component, our laboratory developed a biotic nerve interface termed the Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (RPNI) to integrate transected peripheral nerves in a residual limb with a prosthetic device. RPNI fabrication involves surgically implanting a peripheral nerve into an autologous free muscle graft, which subsequently revascularizes and reinnervates. Our lab has developed this biologic nerve interface over the past decade, with success in amplifying and transmitting motor signals when combined with implanted electrodes in both animal and human trials, allowing for suitable prosthetic control with multiple degrees of freedom2,34. In addition, we have separately demonstrated sensory feedback through the use of peripheral nerves embedded in dermal grafts, termed the Dermal Sensory Interface (DSI)3,35. In more distal amputations, using these constructs simultaneously is feasible as motor and sensory fascicles within the target peripheral nerve can be surgically separated. However, for more proximal level amputations, this is not feasible due to intermingling of motor and sensory fibers. The Composite Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (C-RPNI) was developed for more proximal amputations, and it involves implanting a mixed sensorimotor nerve into a construct consisting of free muscle graft secured to a segment of dermal graft (Figure 1). Peripheral nerves demonstrate preferential targeted reinnervation, thus sensory fibers will re-innervate the dermal graft and motor fibers, the muscle graft. This construct thus has the ability to simultaneously amplify motor signals while providing somatosensory feedback36 (Figure 2), allowing for the realization of the ideal, intuitive, complex prosthetic.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>#15 Scalpel</td>
			<td>Aspen Surgical, Inc</td>
			<td>Ref 371115</td>
			<td>Rib-Back Carbon Steel Surgical Blades (#15)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4-0 Chromic Suture</td>
			<td>Ethicon</td>
			<td>SKU# 1654G</td>
			<td>P-3 Reverse Cutting Needle</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>5-0 Chromic Suture</td>
			<td>Ethicon</td>
			<td>SKU# 687G</td>
			<td>P-3 Reverse Cutting Needle</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>6-0 Ethilon Suture</td>
			<td>Ethicon</td>
			<td>SKU# 697G</td>
			<td>P-1 Reverse Cutting Needle (Nylon suture)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>8-0 Monofilament Suture</td>
			<td>AROSurgical</td>
			<td>T06A08N14-13</td>
			<td>Black polyamide monofilament suture on a threaded tapered needle</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Experimental Rats</td>
			<td>Envigo</td>
			<td>F344-NH-sd</td>
			<td>Rats are Fischer F344 Strain</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fluriso (Isofluorane)</td>
			<td>VetOne</td>
			<td>13985-528-40</td>
			<td>Inhalational Anesthetic</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micro Motor High Speed Drill with Stone</td>
			<td>Master Mechanic</td>
			<td>Model 151369</td>
			<td>Handheld rotary tool; kit comes with multiple fine grit stones</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Oxygen</td>
			<td>Cryogenic Gases</td>
			<td>UN1072</td>
			<td>Standard medical grade oxygen canisters</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium Chloride</td>
			<td>APP Pharmaceuticals</td>
			<td>63323-965-20</td>
			<td>Injectable form, 2 mEq/mL</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Povidone Iodine USP</td>
			<td>MediChoice</td>
			<td>65517-0009-1</td>
			<td>10% Topical Solution, can use one bottle for multiple surgical preps</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Puralube Vet Opthalmic Ointment</td>
			<td>Dechra</td>
			<td>17033-211-38</td>
			<td>Corneal protective ointment for use during procedure</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rimadyl (Caprofen)</td>
			<td>Zoetis, Inc.</td>
			<td>NADA# 141-199</td>
			<td>Injectable form, 50 mg/mL</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stereo Microscope</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td>Model M60</td>
			<td>User can adjust magnification to their preference</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical Instruments</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td>User can choose instruments according to personal preference or from what is currently available in their lab</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triple Antibiotic Ointment</td>
			<td>MediChoice</td>
			<td>39892-0830-2</td>
			<td>Ointment comes in sterile, disposable packets</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>VaporStick 3</td>
			<td>Surgivet</td>
			<td>V7015</td>
			<td>Anesthesia tower with space for isofluorane and oxygen canister</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Webcol Alcohol Prep</td>
			<td>Coviden</td>
			<td>Ref 6818</td>
			<td>Alcohol prep wipes; use a new wipe for each prep</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

fabrication of the composite regenerative peripheral nerve interface (c-rpni) in the adult rat

Recent advances in neuroprosthetics have enabled those living with extremity loss to reproduce many functions native to the absent extremity, and this is often accomplished through integration with the peripheral nervous system. Unfortunately, methods currently employed are often associated with significant tissue damage which prevents prolonged use. Additionally, these devices often lack any meaningful degree of sensory feedback as their complex construction dampens any vibrations or other sensations a user may have previously depended on when using more simple prosthetics. The composite regenerative peripheral nerve interface (C-RPNI) was developed as a stable, biologic construct with the ability to amplify efferent motor nerve signals while providing simultaneous afferent sensory feedback. The C-RPNI consists of a segment of free dermal and muscle graft secured around a target mixed sensorimotor nerve, with preferential motor nerve reinnervation of the muscle graft and sensory nerve reinnervation of the dermal graft. In rats, this construct has demonstrated the generation of compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs), amplifying the target nerve&#39;s signal from the micro- to milli-volt level, with signal to noise ratios averaging approximately 30-50. Stimulation of the dermal component of the construct generates compound sensory nerve action potentials (CSNAPs) at the proximal nerve. As such, this construct has promising future utility towards the realization of the ideal, intuitive prosthetic.

Construct fabrication is considered unsuccessful if rats develop an infection or do not survive surgical anesthesia. Previous research has indicated these constructs require approximately three months to revascularize and reinnervate2,3,17,36. Following the three-month recovery period, construct testing can be pursued to examine viability. Surgical exposure of t...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Fabrication of the Composite Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface C-RPNI in the Adult Rat at JoVE.com

Fabrication of the Composite Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface C-RPNI in the Adult Rat

The following manuscript describes a novel method for developing a biologic, closed loop neural feedback system termed the composite regenerative peripheral nerve interface (C-RPNI). This construct has the ability to integrate with peripheral nerves to amplify efferent motor signals while simultaneously providing afferent sensory feedback.

Fabrication of the Composite Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (C-RPNI) in the Adult Rat

Recent advances in neuroprosthetics have enabled those living with extremity loss to reproduce many functions native to the absent extremity, and this is ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

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Bridging the Bio-Electronic Interface with Biofabrication

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Generation of a Three-dimensional Full Thickness Skin Equivalent and Automated Wounding

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Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery

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Methods for the Self-integration of Megamolecular Biopolymers on the Drying Air-LC Interface

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Fabrication of Extracellular Matrix-derived Foams and Microcarriers as Tissue-specific Cell Culture and Delivery Platforms

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An Ultrasonic Tool for Nerve Conduction Block in Diabetic Rat Models

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Fabrication of Decellularized Cartilage-derived Matrix Scaffolds

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A Tripeptide-Stabilized Nanoemulsion of Oleic Acid

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The Fabrication and Operation of a Continuous Flow, Micro-Electroporation System with Permeabilization Detection

Current therapeutic innovations, such as CAR-T cell therapy, are heavily reliant on viral-mediated gene delivery. Although efficient, this technique is ...