Hyaluronic Acid-based Scaffolds for Brain Tissue Engineering - Hyaluronic Acid for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications - page 122

abundant in adult brain that function as link proteins to bind HA
and proteoglycans in the form of monomers, dimers, and trimers. In
brief, the brain ECM is thought to have trophic effects on neuronal
cells and to affect neurite outgrowth.

(a) (a)

Grey matter Chemical synapse

Neuron

Axon terminal

Astrocyte

Synaptic knob

Myelin sheath

Neurotransmitter

Oligodendrocyte

Receptor

Blood vessel

White matter

Figure 6.1 The basic constituents and structures of adult brain
tissue. (a) Neuron and glial cells in brain; and (b) synaptic
connections

6.2.2 Brain Injury: Healing, Secondary Damage and
Regeneration

Brain injuries can occur due to a wide range of internal and external
factors, such as trauma, chemicals, ischaemia and haemorrhage.
Unlike peripheral nervous system injury, neurons in the brain
have a quite limited capacity to replace lost ones, and therefore
complete functional restoration is not possible in most clinical cases.
Immediately following injury, acute inflammatory response occurs
accompanying the disruption of local blood vessels and death of