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Around the world, millions of people suffer spinal cord injuries every year. These types of injuries can disrupt the communication between the brain and the body, reduce movement and sensation, and in the worst case, can lead to paralysis. Now, researchers at the Okinawa Graduate School of Science and Technology (OIST) in Japan have used a new technology to create a 3D scaffold that can guide regenerating neurons in the right direction. These scaffolds are described in the journal Materials Science and Engineering: C, and they provide a proof-of-concept that researchers hope to one day use to design a structure that will help reconnect damaged neurons in the human spinal cord. "Currently, regenerating aging neurons in the spinal cord is a real challenge," said Professor Marco Terenzio, head of OIST's Department of Molecular Neuroscience. He explained that although peripheral nerves, such as those in the fingers and legs, can repair themselves relatively easily, most neurons in the central nervous system, brain, and spinal cord do not have this level of regenerative potential. "Only a few types of neurons in the spine have limited healing capabilities," Professor Terenzio continued. "The most important thing is that neurons may need to grow to a few millimeters, and there may be scar tissue. Therefore, we need to provide an artificial scaffold to help neurons and bridge the gap." When neurons repair themselves, this process does not Happened in isolation. In contrast, neurons rely on the extracellular matrix, a fibrous structure that provides support and chemical clues for the correct growth of neurons. But so far, technical limitations have prevented scaffolds that can accurately mimic the texture of extracellular matrix and cannot be manufactured on a large scale for spinal cord injuries. In this research, the scientists turned to a state-of-the-art manufacturing technique called 2-photon lithography, which allowed them to better control the entire structure compared to standard printing methods. "It works a bit like 3D printing, but the other way around," Professor Terenzio explained. "It is not by depositing material where needed to build the structure, but by removing the material to create the structure." The researchers first used computer software to design a scaffold with grooves and dents to promote the directional growth of neurons. Professor Trenzio explained that neurons usually grow radially, spreading outward from the center point, but in the case of cut-off injuries, it is more efficient to grow straight to connect the two sides. The researchers then used a polymer called IP-Dip to construct different scaffolds. This material will harden in response to the light from the laser, and the laser will be emitted at a specific location according to the schematic diagram. The excess unhardened polymer is then washed off at the end to reveal the final structure. When the researchers studied the material properties of the scaffold, they found that the hardened polymer had thermal and mechanical stability. The researchers also tested whether the structure is biocompatible by culturing and cultured mouse neurons from the dorsal root ganglion, which is a group of neurons that are close to the spinal cord and transmit sensations to the brain. The team also tested the structure with mouse motor neurons, which are located in the spinal cord and are responsible for muscle contraction and subsequent movement. Both types of neurons can attach and grow on the scaffold. The researchers designed one of the scaffolds to be more porous to encourage neurons to grow into the structure and on top. "We found that neurons can penetrate all layers of the stent, which is very exciting," Professor Terenzio said. "The next goal is to use this design as a template to develop scaffolds that can be used for in vivo experiments in mice in the future." The team also plans to try different materials and scaffold designs to better treat other types of injuries. However, the researchers admitted that the technology is currently too expensive for most research laboratories, and the machine may take several days to print a large enough stent. "The technology is still in its infancy, but we hope it will improve in terms of cost and efficiency over time," Professor Terenzio added. "We are fortunate to be able to obtain this machine through the nanomanufacturing and mechanical engineering services of the OIST engineering department." Professor Terenzio praised OIST's unique structure, which avoids the department to promote such multidisciplinary cooperation. "This is indeed a story in the spirit of OIST." References: Agrawal L, Saidani M, Guillaud L, Terenzio M. Use 2 photon lithography technology to develop 3D culture scaffold for directed neuron growth. alma mater. science. Britain. C. 2021;131:112502. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2021.112502 This article is reproduced from the following materials. Note: The material may have been edited for length and content. For more information, please contact the cited source.