title: Quantitative evaluation of stem cell grafting in the central nervous system of mice by in vivo bioluminescence imaging and postmortem multicolor histological analysis.
abstract: Stem cell transplantation in the central nervous system (CNS) is currently under intensive investigation as a novel therapeutic approach for a variety of brain disorders and/or injuries. However, one of the main hurdles at the moment is the lack of standardized procedures to evaluate cell graft survival and behavior following transplantation into CNS tissue, thereby leading to the publication of confusing and/or conflicting research results. In this chapter, we therefore provide validated in vivo bioluminescence and postmortem histological procedures to quantitatively determine: (a) the survival of grafted stem cells, and (b) the microglial and astroglial cell responses following cell grafting.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (Vaxinfectio), University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken (CDE-S6.51), Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp (Wilrijk), 2610, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kristien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reekmans
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Vocht
authors.forename: Jelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Praet
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Le Blon
authors.forename: Chloé
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoornaert
authors.forename: Jasmijn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daans
authors.forename: Annemie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van der Linden
authors.forename: Zwi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Berneman
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ponsaerts
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002470:Cell Survival; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology*; D006085:Graft Survival; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods*; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000378:metabolism