Implantation of Engineered Axon Tracts to Bridge Spinal Cord Injury Beyond the Glial Scar in Rats.

ABSTRACT: Regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI) is limited by the presence of a glial scar and inhibitory cell signaling pathways that favor scar formation over regrowth of endogenous neurons. Tissue engineering techniques, including the use of allografted neural networks, have shown promise for nervous system repair in prior studies. Through the use of a minimally invasive injury model in rats, we describe the implantation of micro-tissue engineered neural networks (micro-TENNs) across a region of SCI, spanning the glial scar to promote axonal regeneration. Forty-three female Sprague-Dawley rats were included in this study. Micro-TENNs were preformed in vitro before implant, and comprised rat sensory dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons projecting long bundled axonal tracts within the lu

SUBMITTER: Sullivan PZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8851225 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature