Nerve cells grow on a bioengineered scaffolding that creates a ring-shaped pattern.

Nerve cells, tagged with fluorescent red dye, grow on a bioengineered scaffolding that creates a ring-shaped pattern. The scaffolding consists of meningeal fibroblasts-cells that form the connective tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Scaffolding such as this may one day form the basis of implants for repairing severed spinal cords or damaged nerves. Image courtesy of Dr. Thomas Beebe, University of Delaware. This work was done in collaboration with scientists at the Keck Center for Tissue Engineering at the University of Utah. Grant EB000463