Decellularization optimizes the inhibitory microenvironment of the optic nerve to support neurite growth.

Decellularization optimizes the inhibitory microenvironment of the optic nerve to support neurite growth. Biomaterials. 2020 Aug 10;258:120289 Authors: Sun JH, Li G, Wu TT, Lin ZJ, Zou JL, Huang LJ, Xu HY, Wang JH, Ma YH, Zeng YS Abstract Allogeneic or homologous tissue transplantation is an effective strategy to repair tissue injury. However, the central nervous tissues like the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve are not ideal materials for nervous tissue regeneration due to the excessive axonal inhibitor cues in their microenvironments. In the present study, we found that decellularization optimizes the function of the adult optic nerve in supporting the oriented outgrowth of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurites. The neurites growing on the decellularized optic nerve (DON) showed longer extension distances than those growing on the normal optic nerve (ON). Neurite branching was also significantly increased on the DON compared to on the ON. Decellularization selectively removed some axon-inhibitory molecules such as myelin-associated glycoprotein (basically not detected in DON) and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (detected in DON at a level less than 0.3 fold that in ON) and preserved some axon-promoted extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including collagen IV and laminin (detected at levels 6.0-fold higher in DON than in ON). Furthermore, collagen IV and laminin were shown to be preserved in DON, and their binding activities wit...
Source: Biomaterials - Category: Materials Science Authors: Tags: Biomaterials Source Type: research