Journal article
Evaluation of cellular organization and axonal regeneration through linear PLA foam implants in acute and chronic spinal cord injury
Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A, v 83(2), pp 512-520
Nov 2007
PMID: 17503492
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
There are few studies of neural implants in spinal cord injury (SCI) focused on supporting directed axon growth. In this study, we fabricated a macroporous poly (lactic acid) (PLA) foam with oriented inner channels. Amorphous foam without linear channels served as a control in an acute SCI injury model, and the effectiveness of foam with linear channels was further investigated in a chronic SCI model. Implants were placed into a 2 mm hemisection lesion cavity at the T8 spinal cord level in adult rats. Two weeks post-implantation, tissue sections including the implants were examined using antibodies against GFAP, p75, ED-1, laminin, GAP-43, and CGRP. Foam implants were well-integrated with the host spinal cord. In linear foams, numerous DAPI-stained cells were found within the inner channels. Schwann cells but not astrocytes had migrated within the channels. Intense laminin staining was observed throughout the extracellular matrix substrate. GAP-43- and CGRP-positive axons grew through the implants following the linear channels. In the amorphous control foams, DAPI staining distributed evenly through the pores. However, the growth of GAP-43 or CGRP-positive axons was misguided and impeded at the entrance area of the foam. Higher numbers of GAP-43 and CGRP-positive axons grew into linear foam implants after chronic SCI than acute SCI. These results suggest the potential application of linear foam implants in cell and axon guidance for SCI repair, especially for chronic SCI.
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Details
- Title
- Evaluation of cellular organization and axonal regeneration through linear PLA foam implants in acute and chronic spinal cord injury
- Creators
- Jie Cai - Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0298, USAKristine S ZiembaGeorge M SmithYing Jin
- Publication Details
- Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A, v 83(2), pp 512-520
- Publisher
- Wiley; United States
- Grant note
- R01NS40592 / NINDS NIH HHS
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Neurobiology and Anatomy
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000249989300030
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-35048887636
- Other Identifier
- 991014878232904721
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Engineering, Biomedical
- Materials Science, Biomaterials