title: Biodegradable chitin conduit tubulation combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for treatment of spinal cord injury by reducing glial scar and cavity formation.
abstract: We examined the restorative effect of modified biodegradable chitin conduits in combination with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation after right spinal cord hemisection injury. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that biological conduit sleeve bridging reduced glial scar formation and spinal muscular atrophy after spinal cord hemisection. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells survived and proliferated after transplantation in vivo, and differentiated into cells double-positive for S100 (Schwann cell marker) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (glial cell marker) at 8 weeks. Retrograde tracing showed that more nerve fibers had grown through the injured spinal cord at 14 weeks after combination therapy than either treatment alone. Our findings indicate that a biological conduit combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation effectively prevented scar formation and provided a favorable local microenvironment for the proliferation, migration and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the spinal cord, thus promoting restoration following spinal cord hemisection injury.
authors: Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: Xue
authors: Graduate School of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China.
authors: Er-Jun
authors: EJ
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: Pei-Xun
authors: PX
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Li-Ya
authors: Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: Yu-Hui
authors: YH
authors: Kou
authors: Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: Xiao-Feng
authors: XF
authors: Yin
authors: Central Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: Na
authors: N
authors: Han
keywords: NSFC grants; biological conduit; bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells; cell transplantation; nerve fibers; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neurons; spinal cord hemisection; spinal cord injury; stem cells; transmission electron microscope