Glial scar formation and astrocyte role in spinal cord injury / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Glial scar and cavity formation fol owing spinal cord injury inhibits axonal entrance, so limited axonal regeneration, less secretion of neurotrophic factor and inhibitors in the microenvironment of axonal growth are considered as major impediments for impacting functional recovery of patients with spinal cord injury. OBJECTIVE:To analyze literatures home and abroad related to the biological characters of astrocytes and glial scar hyperplasia after spinal cord injury, and to provide a theoretical basis for the mechanism underlying glial scar formation fol owing spinal cord injury. METHODS:PubMed and Wanfang databases were retrieved using the keywords“astrocytes, reactive astrogliosis, glial scar, spinal cord injury”in English and Chinese, respectively. Final y 62 literatures were selected for overview. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Currently, studies concerning the biological characters of astrocytes, reactive astrogliosis and glial scar formation fol owing spinal cord injury have achieved some progresses. Studies mainly focus on the sole impediment for spinal cord injury, and treatment also aims at inhibiting single factor, but interactions among factors have not been confimed. In addition, the regulatary mechanisms of specific intracel ular and extracel ular signal molecule in the astrocytes, and effective control and interference of glial scar formation fol owing spinal cord injury stil need in-depth study.