Human Muscle Progenitor Cells Overexpressing Neurotrophic Factors Improve Neuronal Regeneration in a Sciatic Nerve Injury Mouse Model.

The peripheral nervous system has an intrinsic ability to regenerate after injury. However, this process is slow, incomplete, and often accompanied by disturbing motor and sensory consequences. Sciatic nerve injury (SNI), which is the most common model for studying peripheral nerve injury, is characterized by damage to both motor and sensory fibers.

Human collagen produced in plants: more than just another molecule.

Consequential to its essential role as a mechanical support and affinity regulator in extracellular matrices, collagen constitutes a highly sought after scaffolding material for regeneration and healing applications. However, substantiated concerns have been raised with regard to quality and safety of animal tissue-extracted collagen, particularly in relation to its immunogenicity, risk of disease transmission and overall quality and consistency. In parallel, contamination with undesirable cellular factors can significantly impair its bioactivity, vis-a-vis its impact on cell recruitment, proliferation and differentiation.

Cutaneous wound healing after treatment with plant-derived human recombinant collagen flowable gel.

Chronic wounds, particularly diabetic ulcers, represent a main public health concern with significant costs. Ulcers often harbor an additional obstacle in the form of tunneled or undermined wounds, requiring treatments that can reach the entire wound tunnel, because bioengineered grafts are typically available only in a sheet form. While collagen is considered a suitable biodegradable scaffold material, it is usually extracted from animal and human cadaveric sources, and accompanied by potential allergic and infectious risks.

Human recombinant type I collagen produced in plants.

As a central element of the extracellular matrix, collagen is intimately involved in tissue development, remodeling, and repair and confers high tensile strength to tissues. Numerous medical applications, particularly, wound healing, cell therapy, bone reconstruction, and cosmetic technologies, rely on its supportive and healing qualities. Its synthesis and assembly require a multitude of genes and post-translational modifications, where even minor deviations can be deleterious or even fatal.