Professor Tal Dvir
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Results in mice showed the effectiveness of the technology. It will take about three years to bring it to clinical trials in humans.
Scientists from Tel Aviv University in Israel have developed the world’s first implant designed to treat spinal cord injuries. This was reported by the newspaper on February 7 The Times of Israel.-
The technology behind the development uses tissue samples from a patient, turning them into a functioning implant through a process that mimics the development of the spinal cord in human embryos.
It is noted that the team implanted implants from human cells in 15 paralyzed mice. As a result, 12 animals resumed motor activity.
Scientists are confident that in three years they will be able to conduct successful clinical trials in humans.
“If it works in humans, which we believe it will, it could give all paralyzed people hope that they can walk again,” said Professor Tal Dvor from the Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology.
He also clarified that while all of the experimental mice received spinal cord implants from cells from three people, however, the plan for applying the innovation to humans involves growing a unique material for each patient using his own cells.
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Photo: onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Scheme of creating a spinal implant
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The head of the study predicts that this will “regenerate damaged tissue without the risk of rejection” and eliminate the need to suppress the immune system of patients, as is the case with conventional transplants.
To date, experiments have already been carried out on the production of human stem cells and their introduction into the spinal cord of animals. However, Dvir emphasized that his team was the first in the world to grow fragments of a real spine created from human cells.
Another unique factor in the study was the treatment of long-term paralyzed animals.
“In our experiment, we used both recently and long-term paralyzed mice. We have been successful in both cases and expect the effect to work with people who have been paralyzed for different times,” the professor said.
Earlier, American entrepreneur Elon Musk said that his startup Neuralink plans to start implanting microchips in the human brain already in 2022. The first to take part in the trial will be patients with severe spinal cord injuries.
Scientists have developed a brain implant that eliminates pain
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