Role of cell autophagy in peripheral nerve injury and regeneration

Abstract

To review the mechanism and effects of cell autophagy in the pathophysiology changes of peripheral nerve injury. The recent literature about cell autophagy in peripheral nerve injury and regeneration was extensively reviewed and summarized. The researches through drugs intervention and gene knockout techniques have confirmed that the Schwann cell autophagy influences the myelin degeneration, debris clearance, inflammatory cells infiltration, and axon regeneration through JNK/c-Jun pathway. To adjust autophagy process could slow down the Wallerian degeneration, maintain the integrity of injured nerve, while the effect on axon regeneration is still controversial. The Schwann cell autophagy plays a key role in the pathophysiology changes of peripheral nerve injury, the further study of its mechanism could provide new methods for the therapy of peripheral nerve injury.