Open-Spaced Ridged Hydrogel Scaffolds Containing TiO2-Self-Assembled Monolayer of Phosphonates Promote Regeneration and Recovery Following Spinal Cord Injury

Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2023 · DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210250 · Published: June 16, 2023

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine Biomedical

Simple Explanation

The study introduces a novel hydrogel scaffold made from oligo(poly(ethylene glycol) fumarate) (OPF) as a thin sheet with polymer ridges and a cell-attractive surface. This design aims to support cell attachment, alignment, and ECM deposition, crucial for nerve regeneration after spinal cord injury. The hydrogel scaffold sheets were rolled and implanted into rats following spinal cord injury, leading to improved hindlimb recovery compared to multichannel scaffold controls. This suggests the scaffold's design effectively guides axon growth. The research also utilizes machine learning algorithms for rapid, unbiased analysis of immune cell infiltration and scarring. This highlights the potential for faster characterization of implanted biomaterials.

Study Duration

5 Weeks

Participants

Female Sprague Dawley rats (230–300 g)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
OPF sheets with ridges and TiSAMP chemical patterns promote alignment and outgrowth of cells, and also influence the directionality of the produced ECM, which could aid in nerve regeneration.
2
Rats implanted with rolled scaffold sheets exhibited greater axon regeneration compared to multichannel scaffolds, indicating the design's potential for promoting nerve fiber growth across the injury site.
3
The study found no significant increase in immune cell infiltration or scarring in the rolled scaffold group compared to controls, suggesting the material is biocompatible and does not exacerbate inflammation or fibrosis.

Research Summary

This study introduces a novel OPF hydrogel scaffold with ridges and a TiSAMP surface, designed to promote nerve regeneration after spinal cord injury. The in vitro results show the scaffold supports cell attachment, alignment, and ECM deposition. In vivo experiments with rats revealed that the rolled scaffold sheets significantly enhanced axon regeneration and early hindlimb recovery compared to multichannel scaffolds, without increasing inflammation or scarring. The research also highlights the use of machine learning for efficient and unbiased analysis of histological data, improving the characterization of implanted biomaterials in spinal cord injury research.

Practical Implications

Cell Delivery

The scaffold can be used for delivery of cells or ECMs to the spinal cord, maximizing surface area and promoting bidirectional orientation to bridge the gap after injury.

Drug Delivery

The scaffold can be functionalized with drugs or growth factors to promote nerve regeneration.

Neuroprosthetics Development

The scaffold design can be adapted for neuroprosthetics and device production, creating patient-specific constructions using 3D bioprinting.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted up to 5 weeks post-injury and therefore only characterized acute and subacute phases of SCI.
2
The study did not include biologics to functionalize the scaffold.
3
Not specified

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