Current Concepts of Biomaterial Scaffolds and Regenerative Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition with significant neurological deficits and social and financial burdens. Current treatments only manage symptoms, lacking real therapeutic solutions. Recent advancements in biomaterial technology, combined with stem cell therapy, offer new therapeutic strategies from lab to patient. Biomaterial scaffolds support regeneration by delivering drugs and cells, aiding cell-material interactions, and providing neuroprotection. This review summarizes recent preclinical and clinical studies that use biomaterial scaffolds in regenerative therapy for SCI. It highlights biomaterial strategies and simplified results data, offering insights into future clinical applications.

• 1
  Hydrogels, biodegradable scaffolds, micro/nano-fibers, and drug-delivering biomaterials are key categories of biomaterial scaffolds used in spinal cord regeneration. These provide structure, physical support, and biological properties for tissue constructs.
• 2
  Combinatory treatments, such as those pairing biomaterial scaffolds with stem cells, rehabilitation, or the release of neurotrophic factors, have shown promise in promoting differentiation, proliferation, and viability of transplanted cells.
• 3
  Several clinical trials have demonstrated positive results, such as motor function improvement, inflammation reduction, and axon growth, with the use of biomaterial scaffold grafts, indicating their potential for radical treatment of SCI.