Studying how the fetal spinal cord regenerates in an ex vivo model of spina bifida repair may provide insights into the development of new tissue engineering treatment strategies to better optimize neurologic function in affected patients. Here, we developed hydrogel surgical patches designed for prenatal repair of myelomeningocele defects and demonstrated viability of both human and rat neural progenitor donor cells within this three-dimensional scaffold microenvironment. We then established an organotypic slice culture model using transverse lumbar spinal cord slices harvested from retinoic acid–exposed fetal rats to study the effect of fibrin hydrogel patches ex vivo. Based on histology, immunohistochemistry, gene expression, and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays, these experiments demonstrate the biocompatibility of fibrin hydrogel patches on the fetal spinal cord and suggest this organotypic slice culture system as a useful platform for evaluating mechanisms of damage and repair in children with neural tube defects.

研究胎儿脊柱在离体脊柱裂修复的体外模型中如何再生，可能为新组织工程治疗策略的发展提供见识，以更好地优化受影响患者的神经功能。在这里，我们开发了水凝胶手术贴片，专为产前修复髓鞘膜膨出缺损而设计，并在此三维支架微环境中证明了人类和大鼠神经祖细胞的生存能力。然后，我们使用从视黄酸暴露的胎儿大鼠中收获的横向腰脊髓切片建立了器官切片培养模型，以研究纤维蛋白水凝胶贴剂的离体作用。基于组织学，免疫组织化学，基因表达和酶联免疫吸附测定，这些实验证明了纤维蛋白水凝胶贴片在胎儿脊髓上的生物相容性，并建议该器官切片培养系统可作为评估儿童损伤和修复机制的有用平台神经管缺陷。