title: Olfactory ensheathing cells: Part II--source of cells and application to patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess clinical methods of sourcing human olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), and the results of present day clinical studies in OEC transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Present clinical studies of OEC transplantation have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of the technique, and no significant complications have occurred from harvest of the olfactory mucosa to culture OECs. These reported studies have not been designed to determine whether clinical outcome is improved by transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OEC transplantation strategies need to be studied further. At present clinical models for testing OECs vary in methodology and quality, and until high-quality, well-designed, and sufficiently powered studies have been performed, the true effect of OEC treatment for patients will remain unclear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain, Repair and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: d.choi@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain, Repair and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gladwin
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting
keywords: Clinical trial; Olfactory ensheathing cell; Spinal cord