Effect of Mechanical Stimulation on Neurite Outgrowth of Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons Toward Integrative Mechanobiologic Nerve Bridge

Many methods to promote outgrowth of neurons have been studied, including electrical stimulation, micropatterned substrate, neurotrophic factors, and optical stimulation. Neuron is known to have mechanotransducer proteins. Calcium influx through mechanosensitive ion channels take part in the neuronal response to mechanical stimuli. In this report, we demonstrate the effect of mechanical stretching to dorsal root ganglion neuron (DRG neuron). By stretching DRG neurons under some conditions, we succeeded enhancing the neurite outgrowth by forty-eight percent compared to non-stretched DRG neurons. Stimulation frequencies between 0.25 Hz and 1 Hz have less effect on enhancing the neurite outgrowth, but stimulation time has effect on it. The more time DRG neurons were stretched, the more DRG neurons were peeled off. We need to find the optimum stimulating condition. These results indicate that mechanical stimulation has a potential to be applied a functional artificial nerve bridge that promotes the outgrowth of neurons.