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This tissue, like all tissues in our body, consists of cells together with an extracellular matrix (comprising substances like collagens and sugars). After separating the cells from the
extracellular matrix, the team used genetic engineering to reprogramme the cells, reverting them to a state that resembles embryonic stem cells - namely cells capable of becoming any type of
cell in the body. "We then encapsulated the stem cells in the hydrogel and in a process that mimics the embryonic development of the spinal cord, we turned the cells into 3D implants
of neuronal networks containing motor neurons," Dvir said. The human spinal cord implants were then implanted in lab models, divided into two groups: those who had only recently been
paralysed (the acute model) and those who had been paralysed for a long time - equivalent to a year in human terms (the chronic model).
