title: Concise review: Bone marrow for the treatment of spinal cord injury: mechanisms and clinical applications.
abstract: Transplantation of bone marrow stem cells into spinal cord lesions enhances axonal regeneration and promotes functional recovery in animal studies. There are two types of adult bone marrow stem cell; hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The mechanisms by which HSCs and MSCs might promote spinal cord repair following transplantation have been extensively investigated. The objective of this review is to discuss these mechanisms; we briefly consider the controversial topic of HSC and MSC transdifferentiation into central nervous system cells but focus on the neurotrophic, tissue sparing, and reparative action of MSC grafts in the context of the spinal cord injury (SCI) milieu. We then discuss some of the specific issues related to the translation of HSC and MSC therapies for patients with SCI and present a comprehensive critique of the current bone marrow cell clinical trials for the treatment of SCI to date.
authors: Spinal Studies and Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire, United Kingdom. karina.wright@rjah.nhs.uk
authors: Karina T
authors: KT
authors: Wright
authors: Wagih
authors: W
authors: El Masri
authors: Aheed
authors: A
authors: Osman
authors: Joy
authors: J
authors: Chowdhury
authors: William E B
authors: WE
authors: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D058630:Spinal Cord Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*