title: Optimal time-point for neural stem cell transplantation to delay denervated skeletal muscle atrophy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) is a promising treatment to delay denervated skeletal muscle atrophy; however, the optimal time-point between peripheral nerve injury and NSC transplantation needs to be determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Improvement in rat gastrocnemius muscle function was evaluated after NSCs were transplanted into sectioned distal tibial nerves. We also assessed survival and differentiation. ANOVA was used to compare the mean value of the number of neuron-like cells, cross-sectional area amelioration, the amount of activated fibers, and latency and amplitude of the gastrocnemius compound muscle action potential.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group in which the NSCs were transplanted 1 week after tibial nerve transection had the largest number of neuron-like cells, maximum cross-sectional area amelioration, and maximum amount of activated gastrocnemius fibers compared with all other groups (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The optimal time-point for NSC transplantation for delaying denervated skeletal muscle atrophy is 1 week after severing the nerve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital and School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Sen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shaonan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Changqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jianguang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D009121:Muscle Denervation; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors