Fabricating Brain Tissue by growing Stem Cells on Coral Skeletons

The brain has a limited ability to recover from§injury; however, the discovery of stem cells that can§differentiate into neural cells neurons and glia -§creates conditions for generation of new cells to§replace the damaged tissue. We have developed a§method to facilitate achievement of this long§sought-after goal - cultivating stem cells on coral§skeleton adjacent to cultures of primary neural§cells. The coralline skeleton is a highly adhesive§porous scaffold made of crystalline aragonite and is§unique in its ability to nurture cells with calcium.§Growing stem cells on this scaffold in close§proximity to a layer of neural cells enhances these§cell's durability and differentiation to neural§lineages. The enhancement is due to the combination§of growth of the stem cells in three-dimensions,§their chemical interaction with the aragonite§crystals and their reaction to inducing factors§secreted by the primary neural cells. This novel§nervous tissue engineering strategy can significantly§contribute to our capability to promote regeneration§in the central nervous system following trauma,§stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.