With new biotechnological advances, paralysis of limbs after spinal injuries could become a thing of the past
Good news stirred the scientific community in Brazil and worldwide this week. For decades, the mere idea of suffering a spinal cord injury has carried a heavy weight: the fear of permanently losing limb movement and never being able to walk, run, or hug loved ones again.
Nowadays, thanks to recent advances in biotechnology, this reality is starting to change. A new experimental treatment developed by scientists in Brazil has shown very encouraging results—demonstrating that regenerative medicine can bring hope to thousands of people who have faced this sad fate.
What is the Spinal Cord?
The spinal cord is a cord of nervous tissue protected by the vertebrae. It functions as a "data highway," sending signals from the brain to the body and bringing back sensory information, such as touch, pain, or temperature.
Inside, the spinal cord has two main parts: the gray matter, rich in neuron cell bodies, and the white matter, formed by bundles of myelin-coated axons, which act like high-speed cables for electrical impulses in the nervous system.
How Does Body Paralysis Occur?
When an accident causes a rupture or crushing of any part of this structure, signals from the brain can no longer reach the muscles, and signals from the body cannot reach the brain. Spinal cord injuries can affect different regions, which is why we use distinct terms to describe them.
Paraplegia is the total or partial loss of movement and sensation only in the lower limbs, usually caused by injuries in the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral portion of the spinal cord. Tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia) occurs when the injury is cervical, closer to the neck, affecting not only the legs but also the arms and trunk. In both cases, severity varies according to the extent of the damage and can range from muscle weakness to complete loss of movement and sensation below the injury level.
A major problem with this type of injury is that mature neurons are notoriously difficult to regenerate. This is because they remain in a state called G0, a special condition in which the normal cell cycle is paused.
In the cell cycle, cells go through phases G1 (growth and normal cell activity), S (DNA and component duplication), G2 (preparation for division), and M (mitosis, when they actually divide).
The G0 phase is different: the cell remains active, similar to G1, but no longer enters the stages necessary for division. Therefore, neurons in the spinal cord, for example, do not easily replace lost cells. The situation worsens when considering other barriers, such as the scar formed at the injury site and the difficulty of axon reconnection. Spontaneous recovery from severe injury is extremely limited.
A Drug Inspired by Biology Itself
However, a new hope has emerged: a team from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) decided to mimic the body's natural architecture to stimulate regeneration. The result is poly-laminin, a biomaterial based on laminin, an essential protein of the extracellular matrix. The team, led by biologist and neuroscientist Tatiana Coelho de Sampaio, brings together professionals from biology, medicine, and materials engineering—a true example of interdisciplinary science.
How Laminin Works in the Body
Laminin is a giant protein found in the basal lamina—a thin layer of molecules that supports nearly all body tissues, including blood vessels and nerves. Think of it as a "molecular carpet" that anchors cells, guides their growth, and creates paths for developing axons. This network connects to cell receptors, such as integrins and dystroglycans, sending signals for cells to organize and form functional tissues.
How the New Treatment Works and Was Tested
By polymerizing laminin, scientists created poly-laminin, which forms a three-dimensional mesh similar to the natural basal lamina. This "scaffold" promotes neuron adhesion, axon extension, and cell communication, recreating an environment that stimulates nerve regeneration.
After years of experiments in animals, the team began a pilot study in humans. Patients with recent spinal injuries (treated a few days after trauma) received poly-laminin directly in the injured area. Early results showed voluntary muscle contractions, something rare in complete injuries. One patient showed full recovery without any lasting effects!
Now, researchers await approval from Anvisa to expand the tests and confirm safety and efficacy in a larger number of people.
The next steps will answer remaining questions, such as: Will this treatment work long-term? What are its limitations regarding injury severity? What is the appropriate intervention window? Would it work for older injuries? And at any spinal level?
The path to making paralysis a thing of the past is still long, but the work of this Brazilian team already shows that science can change lives. This achievement reflects not only the dedication of passionate researchers but also the power of teamwork and interdisciplinarity, uniting cellular biology, materials engineering, medicine, and neuroscience.
Initiatives like science Olympiads, SigmaCamp, and scientific outreach programs spark interest, discover new talents, and encourage pursuing a career in Science to apply knowledge for humanity's benefit. When different fields of knowledge and people from diverse backgrounds collaborate, society as a whole benefits—making advances like poly-laminin possible.
Happy studying!