Neurorestoration in Parkinson's disease by cell replacement and endogenous regeneration.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterised by a continuous and selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta with a subsequent reduction of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Thus, the prospect of replacing the missing or damaged dopaminergic cells is very attractive. Possible regenerative therapies include transplanting developing neural tissue or neural stem cells into the degenerated host brain and inducing proliferation of endogenous stem cells by pharmacological manipulations. Neural stem cells, with the capacity to self renew and produce the major cell types of the brain, exist in the developing and adult CNS. These cells can be generated and expanded in vitro while retaining the potential to differentiate into nervous tissue. However, one major problem is the control of growth and differentiation of these cells. This review discusses new data on stem cell technology in cell replacement strategies in PD as well as endogenous dopaminergic regeneration.
Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
Andreas
A
Hermann
Manfred
M
Gerlach
Johannes
J
Schwarz
Alexander
A
Storch
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation