Effects of electroacupuncture combined with hydrogel on the formation and changes in the glial scar in rats with spinal cord injury

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) combined with oriented conductive bioprotein hydrogel (OCBH) on the recovery of nerve function in rats with complete spinal cord injury (SCI) and to explore its effect and mechanism on the formation and changes of glial scars. Methods: A total of 72 female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into groups according to the treatment received. A rat model of complete SCI was constructed using a spinal cord transection. Behavioral assessments, hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, immunofluorescence staining, and Western blotting were performed at a fixed period after the operation. Results: The material group and the material + EA group obtained better results in the behavioral assessments (all P