DOI: 10.1073/pnas.052678899. Functional recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury mediated by a unique polymer scaffold seeded with neural stem cells

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

10.1073/pnas.052678899

Crossref journal-article

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (341)

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 through the injury epicenter to the caudal cord, a phenomenon not present in untreated groups. Together with evidence of enhanced local GAP-43 expression not seen in controls, these findings suggest a possible regeneration component. These results may suggest a new approach to SCI and, more broadly, may serve as a prototype for multidisciplinary strategies against complex neurological problems.

Bibliography

Teng, Y. D., Lavik, E. B., Qu, X., Park, K. I., Ourednik, J., Zurakowski, D., Langer, R., & Snyder, E. Y. (2002). Functional recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury mediated by a unique polymer scaffold seeded with neural stem cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 99(5), 3024â3029.

Authors 8

Yang D. Teng (first)
Erin B. Lavik (additional)
Xianlu Qu (additional)
Kook I. Park (additional)
Jitka Ourednik (additional)
David Zurakowski (additional)
Robert Langer (additional)
Evan Y. Snyder (additional)

References 34 Referenced 814

Dates

Type	When
Created	23 years, 1 month ago (July 26, 2002, 10:37 a.m.)
Deposited	3 years, 4 months ago (April 25, 2022, 9:02 p.m.)
Indexed	8 hours, 28 minutes ago (Aug. 29, 2025, 6:24 a.m.)
Issued	23 years, 6 months ago (Feb. 26, 2002)
Published	23 years, 6 months ago (Feb. 26, 2002)
Published Online	23 years, 6 months ago (Feb. 26, 2002)
Published Print	23 years, 5 months ago (March 5, 2002)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Teng_2002, title={Functional recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury mediated by a unique polymer scaffold seeded with neural stem cells}, volume={99}, ISSN={1091-6490}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.052678899}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.052678899}, number={5}, journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, publisher={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, author={Teng, Yang D. and Lavik, Erin B. and Qu, Xianlu and Park, Kook I. and Ourednik, Jitka and Zurakowski, David and Langer, Robert and Snyder, Evan Y.}, year={2002}, month=feb, pages={3024–3029} }

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