Polymers for Regeneration in the Central Nervous Systems

Solid fetal spinal cord tissue seeded into semipermeable mini guidance channels and implanted into a lesion site in the rat adult spinal cord 

Poly(alpha-hydroxy acids) with seeded Schwann cells or Schwann cell grafts were also found to be effective candidates for spinal cord 

The mechanical properties of the substrate were found to have a significant influence on neurite behavior. Neurons grown on softer substrates formed more than three times as many branches as those grown on stiffer gels (Flanagan et al., 2002). PHEMA hydrogels, coated with collagen and 

Even though early success has been demonstrated with the use of polymers for peripheral and central nerve regeneration, it can be enhanced further by providing site-specific release of growth factors and other chemical cues to the regenerating axons, as described in the next section. 

---