Defining Spatial Relationships Between Spinal Cord Axons and Blood Vessels in Hydrogel Scaffolds.

ABSTRACT: Positively charged oligo(poly(ethylene glycol) fumarate) (OPF+) hydrogel scaffolds, implanted into a complete transection spinal cord injury (SCI), facilitate a permissive regenerative environment and provide a platform for controlled observation of repair mechanisms. Axonal regeneration after SCI is critically dependent upon nutrients and oxygen from a newly formed blood supply. Our objective was to investigate fundamental characteristics of revascularization in association with the ingrowth of axons into hydrogel scaffolds, thereby defining spatial relationships between axons and the neovasculature. A novel combination of stereologic estimates and precision image analysis techniques quantitate neurovascular regeneration in rats. Multichannel hydrogel scaffolds containing Matrigel-only (M

SUBMITTER: Siddiqui AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8219201 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature