Graphene oxide-composited chitosan scaffold contributes to functional recovery of injured spinal cord in rats

Neural Regeneration Research, 2021 · DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.306095 · Published: September 1, 2021

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine Biomedical

Simple Explanation

This study explores using a graphene oxide-composited chitosan scaffold to help repair spinal cord injuries in rats. The scaffold is designed to support nerve cell growth and improve electrical conductivity in the damaged area. The scaffold has a porous structure that allows nerve cells to grow into it, encouraging blood vessel formation and nerve tissue regeneration. This, in turn, helps to restore neurological function. Rats treated with this special scaffold showed better recovery of their neurological function compared to those treated with a regular scaffold, indicating that graphene oxide can play a positive role in spinal cord injury recovery.

Study Duration

10 weeks

Participants

Sprague-Dawley rats (n=5 per group)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The chitosan-graphene oxide scaffold induces nerve cells to grow into the pores between chitosan molecular chains, inducing angiogenesis in regenerated tissue, and promote neuron migration and neural tissue regeneration in the pores of the scaffold, thereby promoting the repair of damaged nerve tissue.
2
The behavioral and electrophysiological results suggest that the chitosan-graphene oxide scaffold could significantly restore the neurological function of rats.
3
The results show that graphene oxide could have a positive role in the recovery of neurological function after spinal cord injury by promoting the degradation of the scaffold, adhesion, and migration of nerve cells to the scaffold.

Research Summary

This study fabricated a conductive graphene oxide composited chitosan scaffold and transplanted it into a T9 total resected rat spinal cord. The results show that the chitosan-graphene oxide scaffold induces nerve cells to grow into the pores between chitosan molecular chains, inducing angiogenesis in regenerated tissue, and promote neuron migration and neural tissue regeneration in the pores of the scaffold. The behavioral and electrophysiological results suggest that the chitosan-graphene oxide scaffold could significantly restore the neurological function of rats.

Practical Implications

Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

Graphene oxide-composited chitosan scaffolds may represent a promising therapeutic approach for promoting functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Scaffold Design

The study highlights the importance of scaffold conductivity, porosity, and biocompatibility in promoting nerve regeneration and angiogenesis.

Graphene Oxide Applications

The findings support the use of graphene oxide in biomaterials for neural tissue engineering, particularly in promoting cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on rats, and the results may not be directly applicable to humans.
2
The long-term effects of the graphene oxide-composited chitosan scaffold on spinal cord regeneration were not evaluated beyond 10 weeks.
3
The specific mechanisms by which graphene oxide promotes angiogenesis and neural regeneration require further investigation.

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