Only 5% of stem cells survive when transplanted into the brain: they are damaged by the injection process itself. New hydrogel-based technology will help solve this problem, according to reports MedicalXpress.
Scientists tested hydrogels that turned into liquid under the pressure of a plunger inside a syringe. Typically, stem cells were injected into the brain using a normal saline solution. At the same time, stem cell loss reached 95%.
The new approach significantly increased cell survival when transplanted into the brains of mice and improved nerve recovery in the animals 12 weeks after implantation.
Scientists now plan to conduct tests on larger animals with brain sizes close to humans. They will also need to make sure the stem cells reach their target areas of the brain.
The mice in which the hydrogels were tested suffered from impaired myelin sheath formation. It surrounds nerve fibers and damage to it can result in impaired mobility. Multiple sclerosis is the most common disorder of myelin formation. Stem cells are promising candidates for treating this condition.
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Source: Gazeta
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