Frontiers in Physiology, 2021 · DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.631500 · Published: April 30, 2021
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex pathological process where initial mechanical damage is followed by a progressive secondary injury cascade. The injury ruptures the local microvasculature and disturbs blood-spinal cord barriers, exacerbating inflammation and tissue damage. Numerous blood vessel interventions, such as proangiogenic factor administration, gene modulation, cell transplantation, biomaterial implantation, and physical stimulation, have been applied as SCI treatments.
Identify and manipulate genes and molecules shared between the vascular and central nervous systems, such as Ephrins, Semaphorins, Slits, and Netrins, to promote both vessel and axonal regeneration in SCI repair.
Integrate multiple revascularization strategies, such as combining proangiogenic factor administration with cell transplantation and biomaterial implantation, to strengthen proangiogenic effects, restore BSCB, and overcome delivery limitations.
Further research is needed to determine the interactions between the nervous, immune, and vascular systems to optimize revascularization strategies for SCI repair.