title: Survival and functional recovery of transplanted human dopaminergic neurons into hemiparkinsonian rats depend on the cannula size of the implantation instrument.
abstract: Promising therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease include replacement of lost striatal dopaminergic neurons by grafting of embryonic mesencephalic cells. However, the poor survival of the transplanted tissue still limits transplantation of these cells into the human brain in a larger number of patients. We addressed the question, if the diameter of the transplantation cannulas has an effect on the number of surviving transplanted human embryonic mesencephalic cells into the striatum of 6-OHDA lesioned rats. We report a significantly higher number of surviving human cells using an ultrathin micropipette compared to cannulas with wider diameters. Importantly, higher numbers of surviving cells also correlated with a behavioral recovery of the hemiparkinsonian rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Experimental Basal Ganglia Research Charité, University Medicine Berlin, CVK, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. barbara.steiner@charite.de
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blumensath
authors.forename: Gesine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harnack
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nikkhah
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kupsch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016380:Brain Tissue Transplantation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002404:Catheterization / Q000592:standards*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D003714:Denervation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D009498:Neurotoxins; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D016627:Oxidopamine; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D016627:Oxidopamine