Scaffolds for Cell Transplantation in Neurology — The Suitability of a Thermoreversible Gelation Polymer: Our Perspectives

Clinical translation of cell-based therapies in neurology, especially the spinal cord injury and damage to the brain, have been marred by several hurdles [Dedeepiya VD et al Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy (In print)] and one significant among them is the need for a suitable biocompatible scaffold, which can retain the transplanted cells, give an active or passive support to the cells, enable their proliferation, differentiation when needed and integration into the local niche until the restoration of the damage are complete, without any adverse reactions to the vicinity or to any of the systems of the animal or human being where it is applied. Scaffolds for neurological applications need to be biocompatible, biodegradable, non-immunogenic, must provide contact guidance for neurite outgrowth, should have porosity for vascularization and cell migration. Several natural scaffolds like collagen, alginate, silk fibroin, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, etc. and synthetic scaffolds like poly (lactic acid) (PLA), poly (glycolic acid) (PGA), poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), poly (lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL) have been JOSS