title: Magnetically labeled neural progenitor cells, which are localized by magnetic force, promote axon growth in organotypic cocultures.
abstract: METHODS
  An in vitro, rat animal study was conducted.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the corticospinal axon growth potential in varying concentrations of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and in magnetically localized labeled NPCs, quantitatively using our original organotypic coculture system.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Transplantation of NPCs for spinal cord injury has been anticipated as a possible future treatment. It is important not only to illuminate the mechanism of NPCs for spinal cord injury, but also to develop an effective cell delivery system for clinical use. In order to develop more effective, efficient, and minimally invasive cell delivery systems, we established a new system using magnetic targeting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Magnetically labeled NPCs were suspended with activated magnetic beads and individual NPCs, and were compared the characterization to nonlabeled NPCs in vitro. We transplanted varying concentrations of 10, 10, 10, 10, and 10 NPCs in 1 microL medium to coculture models. Then the 10 labeled NPCs were transplanted with or without magnet to the cocultures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Magnetically labeled NPCs had similar potential in axon growth compared with nonlabeled NPCs, so there were few toxic effects of magnetically labeling NPCs. The differential potentials were not changed whether they were localized or scattered in vitro. Corticospinal axon growth was promoted in accordance with the transplanted NPC numbers around the organotypic coculture. Localized labeled NPCs with a magnet promoted axon growth much more than scattered labeled NPCs without a magnet, so magnetically localized labeled NPCs expressed higher potential in axon growth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Magnetically labeled NPCs, which were localized by magnetic force, could promote axon growth in this organotypic coculture system.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. taka_ham@d3.dion.ne.jp
authors: Takahiko
authors: T
authors: Hamasaki
authors: Nobuhiro
authors: N
authors: Tanaka
authors: Naosuke
authors: N
authors: Kamei
authors: Osamu
authors: O
authors: Ishida
authors: Shinobu
authors: S
authors: Yanada
authors: Kazuyoshi
authors: K
authors: Nakanishi
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Nishida
authors: Yosuke
authors: Y
authors: Oishi
authors: Seiichi
authors: S
authors: Kawamata
authors: Norio
authors: N
authors: Sakai
authors: Mitsuo
authors: M
authors: Ochi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D008280:Magnetics; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*