Status: Planned Paper
Section: Stem Cells
Type of Paper: Review Paper
Title: “Rational design of biomaterials for control of stem cell-based CNS repair and regeneration”
Authors: Gorka Orive1,2,3 and Dwaine F. Emerich 4
Affiliations: 1) Laboratory of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country, Vitoria, Spain. 2)Biotechnology Institute (BTI), Instituto Eduardo Anitua; c/ Jose Maria Cajigal 19, 10005 Vitoria (Spain). 3) Networking Biomedical Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN, SLFPB-EHU, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. 4) InCytu, Inc., Lincoln, Rhode Island, USA
Abstract: Current therapies have limited capacity to modify disease progression or damage of the CNS of adult mammals. Neural stem cells have the potential to provide a source of transplantable cells with the capability to differentiate into all major CNS cell types and perhaps repair the damaged brain.  Still, techniques are needed to improve the in vivo control over neural stem cells to allow them to controllably differentiate, migrate, and integrate into the circuitry of the spinal cord and brain. This review discusses the state of the art and new directions in our understanding of the biology underlying CNS trauma and how material/cell combinations can be optimally designed to overcome the principle obstacles of repair including reductions in primary and secondary death, supporting the surrounding tissue, mimicking functions of the extracellular matrix, functioning as a substrate for cell growth, axon regeneration and neurite formation and allow cell infiltration.