Researchers report promising results for improving stem cell transplantation in the nervous system
A research team from the Neural Tissue Engineering group at Keele University (UK) has investigated Hemopatch® (Baxter International, IL, USA) and DuraGen Plus® (Integra LifeSciences, NJ, USA) as alternative approaches to delivering stem cells.
As stem cell injections can damage cells, this research group has proposed that encapsulating the stem cells within a porous scaffold can allow them to be delivered to the brain and spinal cord without damage.
In their recent study, published in Materials Science and Engineering C, they used the product Hemopatch, which is clinically used to stop bleeding and promote growth of new tissue. The work demonstrated that neural stem cells could be distributed throughout the material and that their viability, proliferation and differentiation were not affected.
This work builds on a previous study by the same group, published in the Journal of Controlled Release, in which the same ability of DuraGen Plus, a material used to seal coverings after brain surgery, was assessed. Similarly, neural stem cells could be embedded in the material without an impact on their regenerative properties.
The authors report that their results indicate safety and translational potential. As both Hemopatch and DuraGen Plus are already used in a clinical setting, approval for their use in the delivery of stem cells will be easier than that of a newly developed matrix.
“I believe using polymer scaffolds will become the method of choice for stem cell delivery to the nervous system as there are numerous advantages to this approach,” explained co-author of the first study, Christopher Adams (Keele University). “Proving that existing medical materials can be used for such a purpose could benefit stem cell transplantation researchers by providing them a clinically safe material for implantation.”
“This is a new area for us, and we hope to be able to take this work forward in collaboration with our neurosurgery partners to the preclinical testing of a range of medically approved materials”, added Divya Chari (Keele University), who is also a co-author of the first study.
Ref:https://www.regmednet.com/researchers-report-promising-results-for-improving-stem-cell-transplantation-in-the-nervous-system
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