title: Transplantation of bone marrow stromal cell-derived Schwann cells promotes axonal regeneration and functional recovery after complete transection of adult rat spinal cord.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether transplantation of Schwann cells derived from bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC-SCs) promotes axonal regeneration and functional recovery in completely transected spinal cord in adult rats. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were induced to differentiate into Schwann cells in vitro. A 4-mm segment of rat spinal cord was removed completely at the T7 level. An ultra-filtration membrane tube, filled with a mixture of Matrigel (MG) and BMSC-SCs (BMSC-SC group) or Matrigel alone (MG group), was grafted into the gap. In the BMSC-SC group, the number of neurofilament- and tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive nerve fibers was significantly higher compared to the MG group, although 5-hydroxytryptamine- or calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunoreactive fibers were rarely detectable in both groups. In the BMSC-SC group, significant recovery of the hindlimb function was recognized, which was abolished by retransection of the graft 6 weeks after transplantation. These results demonstrate that transplantation of BMSC-SCs promotes axonal regeneration of lesioned spinal cord, resulting in recovery of hindlimb function in rats. Transplantation of BMSC-SCs is a potentially useful treatment for spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8677, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamada
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koda
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dezawa
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshinaga
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koshizuka
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: Hideshige
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000637:transplantation*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000294:innervation / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors