Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40560940›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

The influence of hydrogel stiffness on axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury.

Haiyang Deng, Jiaqing Zhou, Cong Long, Ping Luo, Zhong Xiang, Hao Zeng

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Haiyang DengDepartment of Spinal Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha (Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Changsha, Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan, China.
Jiaqing ZhouDepartment of Spinal Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha (Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Changsha, Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan, China.
Cong LongDepartment of Spinal Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha (Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Changsha, Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan, China.
Ping LuoDepartment of Spinal Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha (Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Changsha, Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan, China.
Zhong XiangDepartment of Spinal Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha (Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Changsha, Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan, China.
Hao ZengDepartment of Spine Surgery Zone 2, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9860-5901

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The core challenge in spinal cord injury(SCI) treatment is promoting axonal regeneration and forming new neural connections in damaged areas. However, mature CNS neurons have limited regenerative capacity, causing long-term dysfunction. Axonal regeneration involves elongating axons guided by growth cones, which sense and respond to external mechanical signals, integrating them into cytoskeleton reconstruction. After injury, growth cones experience altered mechanical forces due to changes in ECM stiffness. However, systematic studies on matrix stiffness's impact on axonal regeneration post-SCI remain insufficient. This study investigates the influence of hydrogel stiffness on axonal regeneration following SCI. Using gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels with varying stiffness levels, we cultured dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons in vitro and applied the hydrogels to a complete transection SCI mouse model. Results demonstrated that higher stiffness GelMA (15% w/v) significantly enhanced axonal extension and sensory functional recovery compared to lower stiffness (7.5% w/v). The study highlights the critical role of ECM stiffness in regulating axonal regeneration and suggests that optimizing hydrogel stiffness can promote neural regeneration and functional recovery after SCI. These findings provide valuable insights for developing therapeutic strategies in SCI treatment.

Indexed as

AxonsHydrogelsNerve RegenerationSpinal Cord InjuriesAnimalsCells, CulturedFemaleGanglia, SpinalGelatinMethacrylatesMiceMice, Inbred C57BLRecovery of FunctionGelatingelatin methacryloylHydrogelsMethacrylates

Identifiers

PMID40560940
PMCPMC12192028

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.