User:Gabriella Gagliano/sandbox

Intro:
Currently being explored in numerous (biomedical - related) research endeavors

While nano neuro knitting shows promise in (tissue regeneration), the uncertainty of the effects of (nanomaterials) in human subjects

Mechanism:
SAPNS mechanism

The process of nano neuro knitting for nervous system tissue repair is carried out by engineering nanostructures for use as neural prosthetics and scaffolding in the brain. The nano neuro knitting process is two-fold. Firstly, the nanostructure is constructed. This entails creating electrospun nanofibers (link to electrospinning) that are combined with self-assembling peptides (link to self-assembling peptide), molecules made up of amino acids that spontaneously form into nanostructures. Electrospun nanofibers are commonly used in tissue grafts as they resemble natural tissue and are easy to fabricate. Peptide-based nanomaterials are used due to their highly permissive nature which creates an easily attachable landscape for nerve-cells. Scaffolds using a silk fibroin (link to Silk Fibroin) peptide (SF16) have also shown promise in nerve repair due to silk's biologically compatibility composition and mechanical features. Secondly, these nanostructures are transplanted into the area where tissue damage has occurred. Repairing damaged tissue in the nervous system using engineered nanofibers is a way of knitting damaged tissue back together. The main goal is to create a supplemental structure that imitates the body's natural connective tissue. This synthetic extracellular matrix (link to extracellular matrix) works to fill in the gaps between damaged tissue sites, promoting axon regrowth and the return of normal neurological function. ,

Spinal cord injury repair
SAPNS = self-assembled nanofiber scaffold

SCIs = spinal chord injuries

* Introduce SCIs and how damage occurs, why SCI repair is difficult, SAPNS use in SCIs*

* Define every abbreviation/term, use easy-to-understand language*

SCIs cause damage to the nervous system, which can result in neurological disfunction. The main barrier to recovery from a SCI arises from the absence of tissue regeneration. (1) Specifically, damage to a portion of the nerve cell called the axon can result in irreversible deficiencies due to the axon's lack of regenerative ability. (1), (2) These deficiencies include paralysis and loss of sensation. (3) (link to axon)

As in Ophthalmic applications, research has also showed promise using SAPNS in spinal chord injuries.

... can significantly improve SCI repair by (promoting axon and blood vessel development in the scaffold which has been shown to connect damaged tissue in rats with SCIs). (1)