[Object]

Provided is a method of producing a nerve bundle including efficiently extending axons of neural cells.

[Solution]

Neural cells are cultivated in the presence of feeder cells including at least one type of cells selected from vascular component cells and perivascular cells.

Provided herein are hydrogels comprised of self-aggregating peptides, useful for implantation into a subject, for the treatment of a neurological disease or disorder. The hydrogels may comprise growth factors and/or stem cells, e.g. neural stem cells. In various embodiments, the hydrogels aid stem cell viability, encourage growth and differentiation, and constrain implanted stem cells to a desired location within a subject. Also provided herein are methods of making and using the hydrogels.

The present invention relates to an axon bundle obtained by a method of culturing a nerve cell aggregation having one spheroid and an axon bundle extending from the spheroid wherein the nerve cell aggregation consisting of a plurality of neurons having a cell body and an axon obtained by a method comprising the following step: supplying a culture medium to one first chamber, one second chamber and one channel having the length of at least 1 mm, the width of 100 to 150 μm and the height of 100 to 200 μm, which connecting said first chamber and second chamber, wherein said first chamber, second chamber, and channel are contained in one of the modules disposed in a culture plate, seeding the first chamber with a nerve cell derived from a stem cell or a spheroid of primary cultured nerve cells; and culturing said nerve cell, thereby growing an axon bundle from said spheroid and extending them into said channel, wherein the length of the axon bundle obtained is 1 mm or more, and the diameter of the axon bundles is 50 μm or more.

An electrostimulatable 3-dimensional (3D) electrogel scaffold comprising piezoelectric nanoparticles uniformly dispersed throughout a homogenous hydrogel polymer matrix, wherein the hydrogel polymer matrix is gelled and comprises crosslinked alginate, carboxymethyl-chitosan and agarose polymers.

A medical device for repairing injuries to the spinal cord or peripheral nerve has a first flexible substrate supporting first nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of silicon, carbon, gold and titanium, at least partially embedded in a binding layer joined to the first flexible substrate. Each first nanoparticle develops along a preferential direction of development. The nanoparticles are oriented so that, statistically, the preferential direction of development is parallel to a first orientation of growth. Stem cells are at least partially embedded in the binding layer. The first nanoparticles are functionalized so that stem cell differentiation along the first nanoparticles is guided in the first orientation of growth. The first flexible substrate is suitable to assume a distended configuration and a wrapped configuration in which it is wrapped around the spinal cord or peripheral nerve whereby the first orientation of growth is statistically parallel to the neuronal direction of extension of neurons of the spinal cord or peripheral nerve.

The present invention relates, in part, to blood-brain barrier-like tissues that comprise engineered E40RF1+ endothelial cells, and to various compositions and methods useful for making and using such blood-brain barrier-like tissues—both in vitro and in vivo.

Disclosed is a degradable sponge block with an infiltrating stem cell suspension, and the stem cells are filled in the network structure holes of the sponge material in a cell suspension state. The stem cell preparation sponge patch complex can be clamped by the instrument and directly delivered to the physiological site of cell therapy due to its rigid support. In addition, the complex is also capable of deformation, which can be fixed at the healing site and realize in-situ release of cells. The cells are loosely bound to the sponge, which can realize the cell preparation reaching the treatment site under the carrying of sponge materials, and release the cell preparation under the action of external forces. The sponge materials only play the role of loading stem cells and carrying them to the treatment site, and then biodegradation and avoiding foreign body residue.

This document provides methods and materials for treating nerve injuries and/or neurological disorders. For example, compositions including an amnion tissue preparation and/or a stem cell preparation as well as methods for using such compositions to treat a nerve injuries and/or neurological disorders are provided.

The present application provides a poly(allylguanidine) and the manufacturing process thereof. In addition, the present application further provides uses of the poly(allylguanidine), which can be applied in culturing neurons or as an implant for the affected area of a brain tumor after surgical procedure.

An electrically conductive hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel is disclosed that is a crosslinked porous scaffold having a graphene-based material encapsulated or in contact within the porous scaffold. The graphene-based material includes one or more of graphene oxide foam, reduced graphene oxide foam, nanoplatelets, nanoparticles, or fibers. The porous scaffold may be formed over an implanted bioelectronic device such as a microelectrode array having a plurality of electrodes. The porous scaffold may also be used to control the differentiation of cells including Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells (NS/PCs).