title: A novel composite type I collagen scaffold with micropatterned porosity regulates the entrance of phagocytes in a severe model of spinal cord injury.
abstract: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a damage to the spinal cord that results in loss or impaired motor and/or sensory function. SCI is a sudden and unexpected event characterized by high morbidity and mortality rate during both acute and chronic stages, and it can be devastating in human, social and economical terms. Despite significant progresses in the clinical management of SCI, there remain no effective treatments to improve neurological outcomes. Among experimental strategies, bioengineered scaffolds have the potential to support and guide injured axons contributing to neural repair. The major aim of this study was to investigate a novel composite type I collagen scaffold with micropatterned porosity in a rodent model of severe spinal cord injury. After segment resection of the thoracic spinal cord we implanted the scaffold in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Controls were injured without receiving implantation. Behavioral analysis of the locomotor performance was monitored up to 55 days postinjury. Two months after injury histopathological analysis were performed to evaluate the extent of scar and demyelination, the presence of connective tissue and axonal regrowth through the scaffold and to evaluate inflammatory cell infiltration at the injured site. We provided evidence that the new collagen scaffold was well integrated with the host tissue, slightly ameliorated locomotor function, and limited the robust recruitment of the inflammatory cells at the injury site during both the acute and chronic stage in spinal cord injured rats. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1040-1053, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Snider
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavalli
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto Luigi
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gallotti
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience and INSPE, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quattrini
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Via per Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Via per Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madaghiele
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rosa
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Terreni
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Via per Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sannino
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mortini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008124:Locomotion; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016062:Porosity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I
keywords: animal model; biomedical engineering; collagen; inflammation; scaffold; spinal cord injury