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Devices implanted in the central nervous system may soon be able to supply limb and sensory functions for disabled patients through brain-machine interfaces. However, a review of the literature indicates that regardless of material composition or intended device function, all chronically indwelling materials implanted into the CNS elicit a stereotypic foreign body response, with astrocytic hypertrophy, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, neuronal cell loss, and demyelination. This results in the activation of inflammatory cell types which we believe to negatively impact the performance of chronically implanted electrodes. Therefore, much of our studies have focused on evaluating the brain tissue response to implanted materials utilizing quantitative image analysis in order to evaluate the foreign body response, as well as exploring methodologies that may be used to reduce this response and enhance the biocompatibility of implanted CNS devices.
Recent Posters:
Electrode Constitutive Properties Modulate the Brain Tissue Foreign Body Response
Recent Publications:
Winslow BD, Christensen MB, Yang WK, Solzbacher F, Tresco PA, A comparison of the tissue response to chronically implanted Parylene-C-coated and uncoated planar silicon microelectrode arrays in rat cortex. Biomaterials. 2010 Jun 17 [Epub ahead of print]. [Link]
Winslow BD, Tresco PA, Quantitative analysis of the tissue response to chronically implanted microwire electrodes in rat cortex. Biomaterials. 2010 Mar;31(7):1558-67. Epub 2009 Dec 5. [Link]
Biran R, Martin DC, Tresco PA, The brain tissue response to implanted silicon microelectrode arrays is increased when the device is tethered to the skull. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2007 Jul;82(1):169-78. [Link]
Kim YT, Bridge MJ, Tresco PA, The influence of the foreign body response evoked by fibroblast transplantation on soluble factor diffusion in surrounding brain tissue. J Control Release. 2007 Apr 23;118(3):340-7. Epub 2007 Jan 13. [Link] |
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Central Nervous System Tissue Response |
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The Keck Center for Tissue Engineering |
