Grafts of genetically modified fibroblasts expressing neural cell adhesion molecule L1 into transected spinal cord of adult rats.
L1, a neural cell adhesion molecule, is known to promote neurite elongation via a homophilic interaction in vitro. In the present study, fibroblast L cells that were genetically modified to express the L1 molecule were grafted to a lesion of rat spinal cord immediately after hemisection. Grafts drastically promoted regeneration of the axons in the injured spinal cord 2 weeks after grafting. A number of regenerating axons penetrated the glial scar along the host-graft interface, and elongated into the graft. These results suggest that grafts of genetically modified cells expressing L1 can provide an environment suitable for regeneration of the axons in the injured spinal cord.
Kobayashi
S
S
Department of Neurosurgery, Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan.
Miura
M
M
Asou
H
H
Inoue
H K
HK
Ohye
C
C
Uyemura
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000502:physiology*; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D003094:Collagen; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000637:transplantation*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic
D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D003094:Collagen