Efficient combined use of electroacupuncture with ordered collagen scaffolds enhance the therapeutic efficacy of human spinal cord-derived neural progenitor cells therapy in spinal cord injury rats

Currently, effective clinical treatments remain limited. Beyond direct nerve damage, spinal cord lesions result in lower limb muscle atrophy, thereby impeding motor function recovery.

Our therapeutic approach for repairing complete SCI combines traditional Chinese electroacupuncture stimulation of the Jiaji (EX-B2) and Zusanli (ST36) acupoints with the transplantation of human spinal cord-derived neural progenitor cells (hsc-NPCs) delivered on an ordered collagen scaffold. Results indicated that electroacupuncture was applied both to enhance the efficacy of hsc-NPCs therapy for nerve regeneration at the lesion site and to prevent muscle atrophy, contributing to motor function recovery.