Hyaluronic Acid-based Scaffolds for Brain Tissue Engineering - Hyaluronic Acid for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications - page 123

neurons and other neural cells [16]. Reactive astrocytes secrete many
ECM molecules forming a glial scar around the lesion site. The glial
scar separates the damaged tissue from healthy tissue to protect
healthy neurons and at the same time leads to the secondary axon
damage that inhibits traversing axon regeneration [17]. Figure 6.3
gives a schematic diagram illustrating the processes of wound healing,
secondary damage, and abortive regeneration in the CNS.

Aggrecan

Tenascin-C

Neurocan

Hyaluronic acid

Versican

Brevican

Tenascin-R

Figure 6.2 Brain ECM. Reproduced with permission from
R. Mentlein, K. Hattermann and J. Held-Feindt, Biochimica et
Biophysica Acta: Reviews on Cancer , 2012, 1825 , 2, 178. ©2012,
Elsevier [13]