OU researchers, Dr James Phillips and Dr Jon Golding, are developing an advanced 3D co-culture model to understand better the complex interactions which occur between cells in a damaged nervous system (in particular between Schwann cells and astrocytes following spinal cord damage). These interactions lead to the formation of inhibitory interfaces that prevent regenerating neurons from restoring functional connections. This model will then be used to develop novel tissue engineered devices with physical and cellular elements that promote nervous system repair and reduce inhibitory influences. In particular, the potential of delivering neural crest stem cells (which permit interface-crossing by neurones in development) will be investigated, as will novel biomaterial devices which prevent inhibitory interfaces from forming.
Picture: “Confocal micrograph projections of 3D cultures, showing central nervous system astrocytes (green) responding to the presence of peripheral nervous system cells (red). Cell nuclei are labelled blue. Picture courtesy of Dr Emma East, the Research Fellow working on this project.”
