Tiam Mana Saffari

TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 General Introduction 11 Part I The Role of Angiogenesis in Nerve Regeneration Chapter 2 The Role of Vascularization in Nerve Regeneration of Nerve Graft: A Review of Literature 31 Chapter 3 The Superficial Inferior Epigastric Artery Fascia Flap in Rats 51 Chapter 4 New Methods for Objective Angiogenesis Evaluation of Rat Nerves using Microcomputed Tomography Scanning and Conventional Photography 69 Chapter 5 Revascularization Patterns of Nerve Allografts in a Rat Sciatic Nerve Defect Model 87 Chapter 6 Surgical Angiogenesis Modifies the Cellular Environment of Nerve Allografts in a Rat Sciatic Nerve Defect Model 107 Chapter 7 Surgical Angiogenesis of Decellularized Nerve Allografts Improves Early Functional Recovery in a Rat Sciatic Nerve Defect Model 131 Part II The Contribution of Angiogenesis and Stem Cells in Nerve Regeneration Chapter 8 The Interaction of Stem Cells and Vascularization in Peripheral Nerve Regeneration 159 Chapter 9 Functional Outcomes of Nerve Allografts Seeded with Undifferentiated and Differentiated Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Rat Sciatic Nerve Defect Model 187 Chapter 10 Microcomputed Analysis of Nerve Angioarchitecture after Combined Stem Cell Delivery and Surgical Angiogenesis to Nerve Allograft 211 Chapter 11 General Discussion 235 Chapter 12 Summary / Samenvatting 253 Appendices Research Data Management List of Publications PhD Portfolio Curriculum Vitae A Letter to a Young Researcher Acknowledgements 268 270 272 276 279 280