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Updated: Dec 25, 2025
Experimental Strategies to Bridge Large Tissue Gaps in the Injured Spinal Cord after Acute and Chronic Lesion
Published on: April 5, 2016
Improved Coverage of Mouse Myelomeningocele With a Mussel Inspired Reverse Thermal Gel
James R Bardill1, Daewon Park2, Ahmed I Marwan
1Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado; Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
Background:
Myelomeningocele (MMC) is an open neural tube defect of the spinal column. Our laboratory previously introduced a reverse thermal gel (RTG) as the first in situ forming patch for in utero MMC application. To overcome the challenges of anchoring the RTG in the wet amniotic environment to improve MMC coverage, we modified the RTG to mimic the underwater adhesive properties of mussels. We have separated this study into three separate hypotheses-based components: CONCLUSIONS: The DRTG demonstrates increased elasticity, cellular scaffolding properties, and improved MMC coverage in the Grhl3 mouse model. Future studies will be translated to the preclinical ovine model to evaluate this novel gel.
