The invention includes a composition comprising an astrocyte comprising aligned and elongated astrocyte processes resulting from ex vivo machine-driven, physical stretching of the astrocyte maintained in culture, as well as a method of making it. The invention also includes a composition comprising an astrocyte comprising aligned bi-polar processes resulting from growth within hydrogel micro-columns in culture, as well as a method of making it. The invention also provides methods of treatment of nervous system injury or degeneration by implanting the compositions of the invention.
