Polyethylene glycol as a promising synthetic material for repair of spinal cord injury

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a synthetic material with good biocompatibility and can be modified to suit various clinical applications. It shows promise in spinal cord tissue engineering because it resists nerve fiber degeneration, reduces the inflammatory response, and protects nerve membranes. PEG hydrogels can be used as supporting substrates for stem cell growth after injury. These hydrogels induce cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation, while also isolating or reducing local glial scar invasion, and promoting axonal regeneration. PEG-coupled polymers can cross the blood-spinal cord and blood-brain barriers, making them effective drug carriers to deliver drugs or bioactive molecules directly to the spinal cord injury site.

• 1
  PEG resists nerve fiber degeneration, reduces the inflammatory response, inhibits vacuole and scar formation, and protects nerve membranes in the acute stage of spinal cord injury.
• 2
  PEG-coupled polymers promote angiogenesis and carry drugs or bioactive molecules to the injury site, crossing both the blood-spinal cord and blood-brain barriers.
• 3
  PEG hydrogels support stem cell growth, induce cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation, while also isolating or reducing local glial scar invasion and promoting axonal regeneration.