title: Transplantation of porcine embryonic stem cells and their derived neuronal progenitors in a spinal cord injury rat model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate therapeutic potential of green fluorescent protein expressing porcine embryonic stem (pES/GFP(+)) cells in A rat model of spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Undifferentiated pES/GFP(+) cells and their neuronal differentiation derivatives were transplanted into the contused spinal cord of the Long Evans rat, and in situ development of the cells was determined by using a live animal fluorescence optical imaging system every 15 days. After pES/GFP(+) cell transplantation, the behavior functional recovery of the SCI rats was assessed with the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan Locomotor Rating Scale (BBB scale), and the growth and differentiation of the grafted pES/GFP(+) cells in the SCI rats were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relative green fluorescent protein expression level was decreased for 3 months after transplantation. The pES/GFP(+)-derived cells positively stained with neural specific antibodies of anti-NFL, anti-MBP, anti-SYP and anti-Tuj 1 were detected at the transplanted position. The SCI rats grafted with the D18 neuronal progenitors showed a significant functional recovery of hindlimbs and exhibited the highest BBB scale score of 15.20 ± 1.43 at week 24. The SCI rats treated with pES/GFP(+)-derived neural progenitors demonstrated a better functional recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transplantation of porcine embryonic stem (pES)-derived D18 neuronal progenitors has treatment potential for SCI, and functional behavior improvement of grafted pES-derived cells in SCI model rats suggests the potential for further application of pES cells in the study of replacement medicine and functionally degenerative pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiology, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jenn-Rong
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chia-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Cheng-Yoong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Lynn Ling-Huei
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yi-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yow-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Shiue
authors.forename: Lih-Ren
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013552:Swine; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins