title: Magnetic nanoparticles for oligodendrocyte precursor cell transplantation therapies: progress and challenges.
abstract: Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) have shown high promise as a transplant population to promote regeneration in the central nervous system, specifically, for the production of myelin - the protective sheath around nerve fibers. While clinical trials for these cells have commenced in some areas, there are currently key barriers to the translation of neural cell therapies. These include the ability to (a) image transplant populations in vivo; (b) genetically engineer transplant cells to augment their repair potential; and (c) safely target cells to sites of pathology. Here, we review the evidence that magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are a 'multifunctional nanoplatform' that can aid in safely addressing these translational challenges in neural cell/OPC therapy: by facilitating real-time and post-mortem assessment of transplant cell biodistribution, and biomolecule delivery to transplant cells, as well as non-invasive 'magnetic cell targeting' to injury sites by application of high gradient fields. We identify key issues relating to the standardization and reporting of physicochemical and biological data in the field; we consider that it will be essential to systematically address these issues in order to fully evaluate the utility of the MNP platform for neural cell transplantation, and to develop efficacious neurocompatible particles for translational applications.
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Neural Engineering Group, Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine Keele University, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST5 5BG UK.
authors.forename: Stuart I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS UK.
authors.forename: Humphrey H P
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD UK.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rosseinsky
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Neural Engineering Group, Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine Keele University, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST5 5BG UK.
authors.forename: Divya M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chari
keywords: Cell therapy; Iron oxide; Labeling; Magnetic targeting; Neural cell; OPC; Tracking; Uptake