CordInjuryRepair.PDFVIP

In vivo Assessment of the Regenerative Potential of Two Biodegradable Polymers for Spinal Cord Injury Repair Nuno A. Silva1,2,3, Rui A. Sousa1,2, Jo?o T. Oliveira1,2, R. Cerqueira3, Hugo Leite-Almeida3, Armando Almeida3, Rui L. Reis1,2, António J. Salgado3, Nuno Sousa3 nsilva@dep.uminho.pt 1 3Bs Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Guimar?es, Portugal 2 Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengeneering, PT Government Associated Lab, Guimar?es, Portugal 3 Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal. Introduction The Von Frey indicated that rats without Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a significant world scaffolds implantation had more insensitivity to health problem. In this sense the approach physical pressure in injury limb. HE staining presented aims not only the neural repair at also revealed that SPCL scaffolds were able to spinal cord level, but also the bone regeneration bind to adjacent bone. at vertebrae level. Accordingly, in this work we studied the in vivo regenerative potential of two different biodegradable polymers: for nervous tissue regeneration the hydrogel gellan gum, and for vertebra regeneration the thermoplastic polymer starch poly-ε-caprolactone (SPCL). Materials and Methods The materials used in the present work consisted on 70/30% blend of starch with polycaprolactione (Fig.1A) and 1% (p/v) hydrogel gellan gum (Fig. 1B). 3D SPCL Semi tubular scaffolds were processed using 3D plotting, a rapid prototyping technology. Either Fig. 1: A) SPCL semi-tubular scaffold; B) Gellan gellan gum hydrogel or SPC