Biomaterial Design Strategies for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries

JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA, 2010 · DOI: 10.1089=neu.2009.0948 · Published: January 1, 2010

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injuries are highly debilitating, inspiring the creation of biomaterials to encourage regeneration and recovery. A combined approach using biomaterial scaffolds, cell transplantation, and molecule delivery holds the greatest promise. Researchers are enhancing nerve guidance channels and hydrogels by optimizing mechanical properties, cell adhesion, biodegradability, electrical activity, and topography using synthetic and natural materials. Developing scaffolds addressing these design parameters will lead to better therapies for spinal cord tissue regeneration.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Level 5, Review

Key Findings

1
Nerve guidance channels prevent fibrous scar tissue ingrowth, concentrate neurotrophic molecules, and direct growth from the proximal to the distal nerve stump.
2
Hydrogels can be easily cast into various shapes or injected directly into the wound site for in situ gelation and, once implanted, can provide a scaffold through which nerves can regenerate.
3
A combinatorial approach involving channels, scaffolds, neurotrophic growth factors, or cells must be taken in order to effectively repair spinal cord injuries.

Research Summary

This manuscript presents a comprehensive review of biomaterial-scaffold design strategies currently being applied to the development of nerve guidance channels and hydrogels that more effectively stimulate spinal cord tissue regeneration. The choice of material for use in nerve guidance channels has largely been inﬂuenced by the underlying regeneration strategy. Overall, there has been signiﬁcant work completed in the development of guidance channels and hydrogel scaffolds for nerve-regeneration applications.

Practical Implications

Improved Therapies

Scaffolds that address key design parameters will lead to more successful therapies for spinal cord regeneration.

Combined Approaches

A combinatorial strategy involving channels, scaffolds, growth factors, and cells is essential for effective spinal cord repair.

Injectable Hydrogels

The trend in injectable hydrogels shows promise for simplified implantation in complex spinal cord injuries.

Study Limitations

1
Lack of a dominant material or design strategy for functional recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury.
2
Inhibitory environment in CNS injury sites poses a difficult problem for tissue engineering.
3
Most scaffolds and channels have only addressed one or two key design properties resulting in limited functional recovery in vivo.

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