 |
|
Promising new nanotechnology for spinal cord injury
April 03, 2008CHICAGO -- A spinal cord injury often leads to permanent paralysis and loss of sensation below the site of the injury because the damaged nerve fibers can't regenerate. The nerve fibers or axons have the capacity to grow again, but don't because they're blocked by scar tissue that develops around the injury.
Northwestern University researchers have shown that a new nano-engineered gel inhibits the formation of scar tissue at the injury site and enables the severed spinal cord fibers to regenerate and grow. The gel is injected as a liquid into the spinal cord and self -assembles into a scaffold that supports the new nerve fibers as they grow up and down the spinal cord, penetrating the site of the injury.
When the gel was injected into mice with a spinal cord injury, after six weeks the animals had a greatly enhanced ability to use their hind legs and walk.
The research is published today in the April 2 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
"We are very excited about this," said lead author John Kessler, M.D., Davee Professor of Stem Cell Biology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. "We can inject this without damaging the tissue. It has great potential for treating human beings."
Kessler stressed caution, however, in interpreting the results. "It's important to understand that something that works in mice will not necessarily work in human beings. At this point in time we have no information about whether this would work in human beings."
"There is no magic bullet or one single thing that solves the spinal cord injury, but this gives us a brand new technology to be able to think about treating this disorder," said Kessler, also the chair of the Davee Department of Neurology at the Feinberg School. "It could be used in combination with other technologies including stem cells, drugs or other kinds of interventions."
"We designed our self-assembling nanostructures -- the building blocks of the gel -- to promote neuron growth," said co-author Samuel I. Stupp, Board of Trustees Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Chemistry, and Medicine and director of Northwestern's Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine. "To actually see the regeneration of axons in the spinal cord after injury is a fascinating outcome."
The nano-engineered gel works in several ways to support the regeneration of spinal cord nerve fibers. In addition to reducing the formation of scar tissue, it also instructs the stem cells --which would normally form scar tissue -- to instead to produce a helpful new cell that makes myelin. Myelin is a substance that sheaths the axons of the spinal cord to permit the rapid transmission of nerve impulses.
The gel's scaffolding also supports the growth of the axons in two critical directions -- up the spinal cord to the brain (the sensory axons) and down to the legs (the motor axons.) "Not everybody realizes you have to grow the fibers up the spinal cord so you can feel where the floor is. If you can't feel where the floor is with your feet, you can't walk," Kessler said.
Now Northwestern researchers are working on developing the nano-engineered gel to be acceptable as a pharmaceutical for the Food & Drug Administration.
If the gel is approved for humans, a clinical trial could begin in several years.
"It's a long way from helping a rodent to walk again and helping a human being walk again," Kessler stressed again. "People should never lose sight of that. But this is still exciting because it gives us a new technology for treating spinal cord injury."
Northwestern University
The research is published today in the April 2 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
"We are very excited about this," said lead author John Kessler, M.D., Davee Professor of Stem Cell Biology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. "We can inject this without damaging the tissue. It has great potential for treating human beings."
Kessler stressed caution, however, in interpreting the results. "It's important to understand that something that works in mice will not necessarily work in human beings. At this point in time we have no information about whether this would work in human beings."
"There is no magic bullet or one single thing that solves the spinal cord injury, but this gives us a brand new technology to be able to think about treating this disorder," said Kessler, also the chair of the Davee Department of Neurology at the Feinberg School. "It could be used in combination with other technologies including stem cells, drugs or other kinds of interventions."
"We designed our self-assembling nanostructures -- the building blocks of the gel -- to promote neuron growth," said co-author Samuel I. Stupp, Board of Trustees Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Chemistry, and Medicine and director of Northwestern's Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine. "To actually see the regeneration of axons in the spinal cord after injury is a fascinating outcome."
The nano-engineered gel works in several ways to support the regeneration of spinal cord nerve fibers. In addition to reducing the formation of scar tissue, it also instructs the stem cells --which would normally form scar tissue -- to instead to produce a helpful new cell that makes myelin. Myelin is a substance that sheaths the axons of the spinal cord to permit the rapid transmission of nerve impulses.
The gel's scaffolding also supports the growth of the axons in two critical directions -- up the spinal cord to the brain (the sensory axons) and down to the legs (the motor axons.) "Not everybody realizes you have to grow the fibers up the spinal cord so you can feel where the floor is. If you can't feel where the floor is with your feet, you can't walk," Kessler said.
Now Northwestern researchers are working on developing the nano-engineered gel to be acceptable as a pharmaceutical for the Food & Drug Administration.
If the gel is approved for humans, a clinical trial could begin in several years.
"It's a long way from helping a rodent to walk again and helping a human being walk again," Kessler stressed again. "People should never lose sight of that. But this is still exciting because it gives us a new technology for treating spinal cord injury."
Northwestern University
Spinal Cord Injury Current Events and Spinal Cord Injury News RSSUCI embryonic stem cell therapy restores walking ability in rats with neck injuries
The first human embryonic stem cell treatment approved by the FDA for human testing has been shown to restore limb function in rats with neck spinal cord injuries - a finding that could expand the clinical trial to include people with cervical damage.
Findings show nanomedicine promising for treating spinal cord injuries
Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a new approach for repairing damaged nerve fibers in spinal cord injuries using nano-spheres that could be injected into the blood shortly after an accident.
Researchers explore new ways to prevent spinal cord damage using a vitamin B3 precursor
Substances naturally produced by the human body may one day help prevent paralysis following a spinal cord injury, according to researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College. A recent $2.5 million grant from the New York State Spinal Cord Injury Research Board will fund their research investigating this possibility.
Master regulator found for regenerating nerve fibers in live animals
Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston report that an enzyme known as Mst3b, previously identified in their lab, is essential for regenerating damaged axons (nerve fibers) in a live animal model, in both the peripheral and central nervous systems.
Researchers find ways to encourage spinal cord regeneration after injury
Animal research is suggesting new ways to aid recovery after spinal cord injury. New studies demonstrate that diet affects recovery rate and show how to make stem cell therapies safer for spinal injury patients.
University of Louisville neuroscientists hope to get people walking again
Neuroscience researchers at the University of Louisville will be the only team collaborating with an international group of scientists that last week announced they had enabled paralyzed rats to walk while supporting their own weight.
UCLA scientists make paralyzed rats walk again after spinal-cord injury
UCLA researchers have discovered that a combination of drugs, electrical stimulation and regular exercise can enable paralyzed rats to walk and even run again while supporting their full weight on a treadmill.
arrow researcher finds natural hydrogel helps heal spinal cord
Research led by a scientist at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center has shown injecting biomaterial gel into a spinal cord injury site provides significantly improved healing.
UCSF researchers program cells to be remote-controlled by light
UCSF researchers have genetically encoded mouse cells to respond to light, creating cells that can be trained to follow a light beam or stop on command like microscopic robots.
Flips, flops and cartwheels
Geckos and other lizards have long been known for their incredible ability to shed their tails as a decoy for predators, but little is known about the movements and what controls the tail once it separates from the lizard's body.
More Spinal Cord Injury Current Events and Spinal Cord Injury News Articles
 |
Spinal Cord Injury: Functional Rehabilitation (2nd Edition) by Martha Freeman Somers (Author) Duquesne Univ., Pittsburgh, PA. Textbook reflects all the changes in the field since the previous edition, c1992, was published. Draws on clinical and basic research developments and presents interventions consistent with published clinical practice guidelines. Includes strategies for delivering quality rehabilitative services. |
 |
Spinal Cord Injury: Functional Rehabilitation (3rd Edition) by Martha Freeman Somers (Author) Compltely updated in a new edition, this unique reference is an in-depth examination of the central role of the physical therapist in rehabilitation following spinal cord injury. This book encompasses all of the elements involved in a successful rehabilitation program. It includes a basic understanding of spinal cord injuries and issues relevant to disability, as well as knowledge of the physical skills involved in functional activities and the therapeutic strategies for acquiring these skills. It also presents an approach to the cord-injured person that promotes self-respect and encourages autonomy. Comprehensive information equips readers with a broad foundation of knowledge including topics relevant to spinal cord injury, its pathological repercussions, and... |
 |
Spinal Cord Injuries: Management and Rehabilitation by Sue Ann Sisto PT MA PhD (Author), Erica Druin MPT (Author), Martha Macht Sliwinski PT MA PhD (Author) From a hospital admittance to discharge to outpatient rehabilitation, Spinal Cord Injuries addresses the wide spectrum of rehabilitation interventions and administrative and clinical issues specific to patients with spinal cord injuries. Comprehensive coverage includes costs, life expectancies, acute care, respiratory care, documentation, goal setting, clinical treatment, complications, and activities of daily living associated with spinal cord patients. In addition to physical therapy interventions and family education components, this resource includes content on incidence, etiology, diagnosis, and clinical features of spinal cord injury. Case Studies with clinical application thinking exercises help you apply knowledge from the book to real life situations.Thoroughly referenced,... |
 |
Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation (Contemporary Perspectives in Rehabilitation) by Edelle Field-Fote (Author) One of the world's leading authorities in spinal cord injury, and a participant in the Human Brain Project brings you an evidenced-based guide to the state-of-the-art in spinal cord rehabilitation. She has assembled an expert team of clinicians, each with expertise in the content areas they address. Their work encompasses all of the new scientific knowledge and technological advances practitioners need to know to determine the most effective rehabilitation interventions for each patient and to attain maximum restoration of function in individuals with SCI. Key Features * Offers guidance to interpret the ever-changing research literature and to assess clinical trials. * Discusses how neural circuitry changes as a consequence of SCI, how neural activity may be used to... |
|
Accord by Spinal Cord Injuries Australia | |
 |
Life is For the Living Directed By: Michael Rubyan, Deborah Orley The story of five American families living with the painful realities of Juvenile Diabetes, Parkinsons, and Spinal Cord Injury set against the national debate over embryonic stem cell research. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply. |
 |
Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury: Moving Ahead with Your Life by The Mayo Clinic (Author) Traumatic spinal cord injuries have become increasingly common, with nearly a quarter of a million Americans dealing with the condition and another 10,000 new cases each year. The need for a simple, authoritative guide to this disability has never been greater. The Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury addresses that need. With all the information written, vetted, and endorsed by the world’s most prestigious medical clinic, the book enables sufferers to return to an active and productive life within the limits of their disability. Here the Clinic’s leading experts offer advice on everything from emotional adjustments to skin care to modifying homes and cars. This independence-granting book encourages readers to resume their favorite hobbies, participate in athletic... |
 |
LIFE AFTER SCI: Spinal Cord Injury Volume One (VHS) by EasyStand New, unviewed, shrink wrapped VHS tape dealing with spinal cord injuries |
|
Spinal Cord Injury Research Awareness Ribbon Mouse Pad by MyHeritageWear.com The Spinal Cord Injury Research proudly displayed on a mouse pad. There is no better way to achieve awareness for the meaning of the Spinal Cord Injury Research than to display it on your mouse pad for everyone to see. The mouse pad measures at 9.25 x 7.75, it is machine washable, and the colors will not fade or run. Start gaining awareness today by presenting your Spinal Cord Injury Research mouse pad at work or at home. It is certain to keep your mouse rolling in style all while gaining support and awareness! | |
|
Circuit Resistance Training for Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries by SportsWorkout.com Circuit Resistance Training for Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries reviews how exercise specifically, resistance trainingcan be employed to enhance the lifestyle of individuals living with spinal cord injuries. Unfortunately, many of the traditional uppe |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |