Injecting Self-Assembling Peptides and Neural Precursor Cells for Spinal Cord Repair in a Rat Model

Secure an anesthetized rat with a cervical spinal cord injury onto a stereotactic frame.

The lesion site consists of damaged axons and fluid-filled cavities surrounded by infiltrated immune cells, glial cells, and fibroblasts, which hinder axonal regrowth and functional recovery.

Disinfect and incise the skin above the spine. Dissect the muscles to expose the dura, the spinal cord's outer covering.

Excise the scar tissue from the dura to reveal the spinal cord lesion site.

Position a microsyringe above the lesion, containing self-assembling peptides (SAPs), and

inject them into the lesion core on one side of the midline.

Repeat the injection on the opposite side for even distribution.

Next, inject neural precursor cells (NPCs) at sites surrounding the lesion, avoiding the inflamed lesion core to enhance NPC survival.

Once injected, the SAPs self-assemble into a scaffold that mimics the extracellular matrix and bridges the cavities. The scaffold supports NPC survival and differentiation into neural cells for tissue remodeling.

Injection is performed 14 days after spinal cord injury. Before beginning the surgery, prepare the SAPs at a concentration of 1% weight per volume in sterile water, an