title: Motor recovery following olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation in rats with spinal cord injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Olfactory ensheathing cells (OEC) are considered to be the most suitable cells for transplantation therapy in the central nervous system (CNS) because of their unique ability to help axonal regrowth and remyelination in the CNS. However, there are conflicting reports about the success rates with OEC.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effect of OEC in rat models using different cell dosages.
  
  
  METHODS
  OECs harvested from the olfactory mucosa of adult white Albino rats were cultured. Spinal cord injury (SCI) was inflicted at the lower thoracic segment in a control and test group of rats. Two weeks later, OECs were delivered in and around the injured spinal cord segment of the test group of the rats. The outcome in terms of locomotor recovery of limb muscles was assessed on a standard rating scale and by recording the motor-evoked potentials from the muscles during transcranial electrical stimulation. Finally, the animals were sacrificed to assess the structural repair by light microscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to compare the data in the control and the test group of animals. A P value of <0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed a moderate but significant recovery of the injured rats after OEC transplantation (P=0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transplantation of OECs along with olfactory nerve fibroblasts improved the motor recovery in rat models with SCI.
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. tharion@cmcvellore.ac.in
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Tharion
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Indirani
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Durai
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Meenakshi
authors: Suresh R
authors: SR
authors: Devasahayam
authors: Nadipi Reddy
authors: NR
authors: Prabhav
authors: Cassandra
authors: C
authors: Solomons
authors: Suranjan
authors: S
authors: Bhattacharji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor