Enhancement of spinal cord injury repair in rats using photo-crosslinked GelMA hydrogel combined with mitochondrial transplantation.

ABSTRACT: Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) induces mitochondrial oxidative stress, cellular bioenergetic crises, impaired protein degradation, and subsequent degeneration, resulting in increased neuronal vulnerability. Transplantation of exogenous mitochondria to the injury site mitigates cellular energy crises and counteracts neurodegeneration; however, the limited efficacy of mitochondrial transplantation alone constrains its therapeutic potential. In this study, we established a right-sided spinal cord hemisection model at the T10 thoracic segment in rats and transplanted a methacrylate-based gelatin (GelMA) hydrogel containing active mitochondria at the injury site to assess its therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms. Our findings indicate that GelMA hydrogel combined with mitochondrial tra

SUBMITTER: Gao W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12478452 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature