From the Development to the In Vivo Proof of Concept of a Novel Starch Based Tubular Scaffold for Spinal Cord Injury Repair

摘要

Within the present work it was possible to show that 3D plotting is an adequate processing methodology for the development of tissue hybrids aimed at SCI regeneration. Moreover, our findings revealed a non-cytotoxic profile of the previous developed scaffolds. It was also possible to conclude that click chemistry can be applied to the gellan gum in order to immobilize biological active molecules. Furthermore, we revealed for the first time that a starch based biodegradable scaffold can be used to support vertebral bone and spine stabilization. In addition, this stabilization leads to an evident improvement of the motor skills of affected animals. Further work will be focused on the implantation of the GRGDS-modified gellan gum and the SPCL scaffold on SCI rats.