title: Implantation of polymer scaffolds seeded with neural stem cells in a canine spinal cord injury model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Combinatorial approaches employing diverse therapeutic modalities are required for clinically relevant repair of injured spinal cord in human patients. Before translation into the clinic, the feasibility and therapeutic potential of such combinatorial strategies in larger animal species need to be examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study tested the feasibility of implanting polymer scaffolds via neural stem cell (NSC) delivery in a canine spinal cord injury (SCI) model. The poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffolds seeded with human NSC were implanted into hemisected canine spinal cord.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PLGA scaffolds bridged tissue defects and were nicely integrated with residual canine spinal cord tissue. Grafted NSC survived the implantation procedure and showed migratory behavior to residual spinal cord tissue. Ectopic expression of a therapeutic neurotrophin-3 gene was also possible in NSC seeded within the PLGA scaffolds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our description of a canine SCI model would be a valuable resource for pre-clinical trials of combinatorial strategies in larger animal models.
authors.affiliation: Brain Disease Research Center, Institute for Medical Sciences and Department of Neurology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Gon
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Phi
authors.forename: Yoon-Ha
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jun Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Alaa-Elden
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Elastal
authors.forename: Sun Ha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Paek
authors.forename: Kyu-Chang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Seung-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung-Woo
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid