Assessing mechanotactic axon pathfinding in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neurons
Date
2019
Authors
Hui, James
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Abstract
In the central nervous system, upper motor neurons and lower motor neurons, alongside spinal cord interneurons, coordinate all muscle contractions within the body. Axon guidance is a crucial process to the development of functional neuronal networks, as well as regeneration of proper neuronal function for treatment of neurological diseases. Biomedical engineering of scaffolds that promote the axon guidance and proper rewiring of neurons is an area being actively studied by many researchers. In this project, the effect of mechanical strength of fibrin-based hydrogel on the growth of spinal motor neuron axons is studied using a gradient fibrin hydrogel assay, combined with light microscopy and mathematical analysis of acquired images. The motor neurons showed no significant preference for softer or stiffer substrate.