| Home | People | Collaborators | Research | Publications | Job Opportunities | Internal | Protocol |
Research Project 2:
Neurotransmitter-based biomaterials (GTUGA seed grant)
Rat DRG extend neurites at up to 700 micron a day on the acetylcholine-based polymer.
Damage to the central nervous system leads to significant impairment and debilitation, with no effective treatment for functional restoration. Central neuron survival requires neuroactivity in addition to growth factors, which is a fundamental difference from peripheral neuron. Therefore the goal of this research is to create biodegradable polymers that can provide appropriate stimulations to central neurons. Our current strategy to achieve this is to use neurotransmitter-based biomaterials. These polymers are synthesized using a modular approach that enables us to systematically vary the type of neurotransmitters, its concentration, and the polymer backbone. We found that primary neurons' response to these materials depends on the concentration of the neurotransmitter functionalities. The in vitro performance of a polymer with medium neurotransmitter concentrations matches that of laminin, a benchmark standard for neuron culture. Neuronal phenotype is well maintained on these polymers with neurite extension rate up to >600 micron/day. We are currently studying how these materials interact with neurons and how can we test them in vivo.
Related publications:
Gao, J.; Kim, Y. M.; Coe, H.; Zern, B.; Sheppard, B.; Wang, Y. A Neuro-inductive Biodegradable Material Based on Dopamine. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 103: 16681-16686, 2006.