BD PuraMatrix peptide hydrogel, a three-dimensional cell culture model of nanofiber scaffold derived from the self-assembling peptide RADA16, has been applied to regenerative tissue repair in order to develop novel nanomedicine systems. In this study with PuraMatrix, self-assembling nanofiber scaffold (SAPNS) and Schwann cells (SCs) were isolated from human fetal sciatic nerves, cultured within SAPNS, and then transplanted into the spinal cord after injury (SCI) in rats. First, the peptide nanofiber scaffold was evaluated via scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. With phase-contrast microscopy, the appearance of representative human fetal SCs encapsulated in PuraMatrix on days 3, 5, and 7 in 12-well plates was revealed. The Schwann cells in PuraMatrix were cultured for 2 days, and the SCs had active proliferative potential. Spinal cord injury was induced by placing a 35-g weight on the dura of T9-T10 segments for 15 min, followed by in vivo treatment with SAPNS and human fetal SCs (100,000 cells/10 μl/injection) grafted into spinal cord 7 days after SCI. After treatment, the recovery of motor function was assessed periodically using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scoring system. Eight weeks after grafting, animals were perfusion fixed, and the survival of implanted cells was analyzed with antibody recognizing SCs. Immunohistochemical analysis of grafted lumber segments at 8 weeks after grafting revealed reduced asterogliosis and considerably increased infiltration of endogenous S100(+) cells into the injury site, suggesting that PuraMatrix may play an important role in the repair observed after SAPNS and human fetal SC transplantation.

In this topical study the influence of Aloe Vera, on the wound healing process was investigated in 63 male rats with microscopic and cell count methods. On the day of surgery a round wound, of diameter 20 mm, was created on the back of rats necks under sterile conditions. The surgery day was determined as day zero (0). Then the rats were divided randomly into control and experimental groups 1 and 2. Animals in each group were sub-divided to three smaller groups, investigated every 4, 7, and 14 days. From day 0, wound surfaces were covered with gel once daily in experimental group 1 and twice daily, for 12 h interval, in experimental group 2. Each rat received 30 g of the gel. The wound surface and healing were assessed on days 4, 7, and 14, and then a sample from the wound was prepared and investigated microscopically. The results show that the number of neutrophil, macrophage, and fibroblast cells and the wound thickness in the control group were statistically different from the experimental groups. It was found that the wound diameter thickness in the experimental group was greatly lower due to twice administration of gel and the power of wound healing was more than other groups.

RA could attenuate seizure, mitigates oxidative stress, augments the activity of defensive systems, and prevent hippocampal neuronal loss and MFS in the kainate model of TLE.

No abstract