title: Neural stem cell transplantation in a double-layer collagen membrane with unequal pore sizes for spinal cord injury repair.
abstract: A novel double-layer collagen membrane with unequal pore sizes in each layer was designed and tested in this study. The inner, loose layer has about 100-μm-diameter pores, while the outer, compact layer has about 10-μm-diameter pores. In a rat model of incomplete spinal cord injury, a large number of neural stem cells were seeded into the loose layer, which was then adhered to the injured side, and the compact layer was placed against the lateral side. The results showed that the transplantation of neural stem cells in a double-layer collagen membrane with unequal pore sizes promoted the differentiation of neural stem cells, attenuated the pathological lesion, and significantly improved the motor function of the rats with incomplete spinal cord injuries. These experimental findings suggest that the transplantation of neural stem cells in a double-layer collagen membrane with unequal pore sizes is an effective therapeutic strategy to repair an injured spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Runying
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jianfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Dafu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: cell transplantation; collagen; nerve regeneration; nerve repair; neural regeneration; neural stem cells; scaffolds; spinal cord injury