Development of 3D biopatches containing neuroprogenitors for repair of central nervous system lesions

• Grant number: 22/16047-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2023
• End date: January 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Cytology and Cell Biology
• Principal Investigator: Marimélia Aparecida Porcionatto
• Grantee: Gabriela de Oliveira Paskevicius
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/12605-8 - Development of brain-on-a-chip microplataforms for in vitro modeling of the central nervous system, AP.TEM

Abstract

Neural progenitor cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (hNPCs) have great potential in terms of tissue repair due to their ability to differentiate and mature into other neural cell types, especially neuronal ones. In parallel, 3D bioprinting has also highlighted tissue engineering for its potential role in the study of tissue repair, and both, when combined, hNPC and 3D bioprinting, can signal a new path of study and possibilities in the neurological field for therapeutic approaches to repair tissue. The 3D bioprinted construct seems to enable a more precise anchorage for the hNPCs and subsequent in vivo intracortical incorporation in a biodressing model that combines them in order to help in the process of brain regeneration after traumatic injury in mice. The main objective of this project is to produce and study the aspects related to a 3D biodressing of hNPCs in an in vivo model and as a perspective, the results obtained in this project will be used as a basis for the study of other aspects involving this cell type applied to tissue engineering in the biopatch and the subsequent development of a new therapeutic approach to use this scientific basis in other animal models in order to develop and evolve a tissue repair method that can be used in humans.