Tissue Programmed Hydrogels Functionalized with GDNF Improve Human Neural Grafts in Parkinson's Disease (Adv. Funct. Mater. 47/2021)

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 31; no. 47
• Main Authors: Hunt, Cameron P. J., Penna, Vanessa, Gantner, Carlos W., Moriarty, Niamh, Wang, Yi, Franks, Stephanie, Ermine, Charlotte M., Luzy, Isabelle R., Pavan, Chiara, Long, Benjamin M., Williams, Richard J., Thompson, Lachlan H., Nisbet, David R., Parish, Clare L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 18-11-2021
• Subjects: biomaterials; dopamine; glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor; hydrogels; laminin; Parkinson's disease; self‐assembling peptides; stem cells; transplantation
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202170344

Tissue Programmed Hydrogels
In article number 2105301, David R. Nisbet, Clare L. Parish, and co‐workers show that encapsulating human stem cell‐derived dopamine progenitors within a neural tissue biomimetic hydrogel enhances their engraftment in an animal model of Parkinson's disease. The laminin‐based hydrogel, simultaneously sustains delivery of glial cell‐derived neurotrophic factor and increases dopamine neuron survival and their plasticity, and consequently the functional capacity of the graft to reverse motor deficits.