Functional recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury mediated by a unique polymer scaffold seeded with neural stem cells.

ABSTRACT: To better direct repair following spinal cord injury (SCI), we designed an implant modeled after the intact spinal cord consisting of a multicomponent polymer scaffold seeded with neural stem cells. Implantation of the scaffold-neural stem cells unit into an adult rat hemisection model of SCI promoted long-term improvement in function (persistent for 1 year in some animals) relative to a lesion-control group. At 70 days postinjury, animals implanted with scaffold-plus-cells exhibited coordinated, weight-bearing hindlimb stepping. Histology and immunocytochemical analysis suggested that this recovery might be attributable partly to a reduction in tissue loss from secondary injury processes as well as in diminished glial scarring. Tract tracing demonstrated corticospinal tract fibers passing

SUBMITTER: Teng YD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC122466 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature