Researchers from Israel have succeeded in creating a human backbone to treat the paralyzed

A scientific breakthrough from Tel Aviv University could create an amazing change in the world and allow the paralyzed to get back on their feet.

Here are all the details about the 3D spinal cord

Walla!

health

07/02/2022

Monday, 07 February 2022, 10:00

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Health researchers are always looking for ways to cure and prevent diseases, but there are people who live with a permanent disability, and for them it often seems that there is really no new news.

Not this time.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have been able to engineer a human spinal cord, and hope within a few years to "produce customized spinal cord implants for each paralyzed and paralyzed, implant them, and cause repair of the damaged tissue without fear of rejection."

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To the full article

The researchers were able to engineer a three-dimensional human spinal cord and implanted it in model animals suffering from chronic paralysis.

The results of their study were very impressive: about 80 percent of the transplanted mice returned to walking.

This global breakthrough was led by Prof. Tal Dvir's research group from the Purple Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, the Shmonis School of Biomedical and Cancer Research and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Tel Aviv University. The results were published today (Monday) in the prestigious Advanced journal. Science.

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It starts with belly fat and continues with science fiction

"The technology is based on taking a small biopsy of abdominal adipose tissue from the patient," Prof. Dvir explained. "The cells to a state similar to embryonic stem cells - that is, cells that can, after precise intent, become all the cell types in the body."

At the same time, the researchers made a gel from the extracellular material customized for the patient, so as not to provoke an immune response and rejection of the implant after the transplant.

"We inserted the stem cells into the gel, and in a process that mimics the embryonic development of a spinal cord, we turned the cells into three-dimensional implants of neural networks that contain motor neurons," explained Prof. Dvir.

The goal: "to get those people on their feet."

Prof. Dvir (Photo: Israel Hadari)

The human spinal cord implants were implanted by Prof. Dvir and his team in model animals that suffered from paralysis.

The animals were divided into two groups: model animals that suffer from relatively short-term paralysis (the acute model) and model animals that suffer from prolonged paralysis, a time corresponding to an entire year in human life (the chronic model).

After transplantation, 100 percent of the mice that suffered from acute paralysis and 80 percent of the mice that suffered from chronic paralysis returned to walking.

Millions of people are paralyzed - and have no treatment

"The animals underwent a rapid rehabilitation process, which in the end went very well," said Prof. Dvir. "Spine is completely human in mice, and our ambition is, of course, to implant human implants in humans."

He added that it was important to "understand that there are millions of people in the world paralyzed as a result of spinal cord injuries - and have no existing treatment. Those people who were injured at a very young age will have to sit in a wheelchair until the last day, with all the health, social and economic costs of paralysis. It is to produce spinal cord implants that are customized for each paralyzed and paralyzed person, to implant them, and to repair the damaged tissue without fear of rejection. "

Imaging - the next stage of the study - how it will be possible to implant spinal cord implants in paralyzed people (Photo: Official website, Purple Center for Regenerative Biotechnology)

The researchers aim to reach clinical trials in humans within a few years, with the goal of "getting those people on their feet," Prof Dvir added.

The preclinical program has already been approved by the FDA.

"Because this is an advanced technology in regenerative medicine, and since the paralyzed patients do not currently have a treatment alternative, there is a reasonable chance that the technology will be approved relatively quickly."

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• Stem cells