title: Neural Placode Tissue Derived From Myelomeningocele Repair Serves as a Viable Source of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence, characteristics, and potential clinical relevance of neural progenitor populations within the neural placodes of myelomeningocele patients remain to be studied. Neural stem cells are known to reside adjacent to ependyma-lined surfaces along the central nervous system axis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Given such neuroanatomic correlation and regenerative capacity in fetal development, we assessed myelomeningocele-derived neural placode tissue as a potentially novel source of neural stem and progenitor cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nonfunctional neural placode tissue was harvested from infants during the surgical repair of myelomeningocele and subsequently further analyzed by in vitro studies, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. To assess lineage potential, neural placode-derived neurospheres were subjected to differential media conditions. Through assessment of platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) and CD15 cell marker expression, Sox2+Olig2+ putative oligodendrocyte progenitor cells were successfully isolated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PDGFRαCD15 cell populations demonstrated the highest rate of self-renewal capacity and multipotency of cell progeny. Immunofluorescence of neural placode-derived neurospheres demonstrated preferential expression of the oligodendrocyte progenitor marker, CNPase, whereas differentiation to neurons and astrocytes was also noted, albeit to a limited degree.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neural placode tissue contains multipotent progenitors that are preferentially biased toward oligodendrocyte progenitor cell differentiation and presents a novel source of such cells for use in the treatment of a variety of pediatric and adult neurological disease, including spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and metabolic leukoencephalopathies.
authors.affiliation: ‡Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; §Department of Neurosurgery, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; ¶Department of Neurosurgery, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California; ∥Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Siddhartha S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.forename: Abdullah H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Feroze
authors.forename: Sharareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gholamin
authors.forename: Chase
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Rogelio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esparza
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tej D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Azad
authors.forename: Bahaudeen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alrfaei
authors.forename: Suzana A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hutter
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guzman
authors.forename: Graham H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Creasey
authors.forename: Giles W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.forename: Irving L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Weissman
authors.forename: Michael S B
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheshier
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000473:pathology*; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology