Custom-engineered hydrogels for delivery of human iPSC-derived neurons into the injured cervical spinal cord.

ABSTRACT: Cervical damage is the most prevalent type of spinal cord injury clinically, although few preclinical research studies focus on this anatomical region of injury. Here we present a combinatorial therapy composed of a custom-engineered, injectable hydrogel and human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived deep cortical neurons. The biomimetic hydrogel has a modular design that includes a protein-engineered component to allow customization of the cell-adhesive peptide sequence and a synthetic polymer component to allow customization of the gel mechanical properties. In vitro studies with encapsulated iPSC-neurons were used to select a bespoke hydrogel formulation that maintains cell viability and promotes neurite extension. Following injection into the injured cervical spinal cord in a r

SUBMITTER: Doulames VM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10846596 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature