title: A Review of Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury: Large Animal Models and the Frontier in Humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the literature of spinal cord injury and stem cell therapy for large animal models and incorporate those results into an understanding of stem cell therapy for human cord injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven canine studies were identified and 3 sub-human primate studies were identified showing variable results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stem cell therapy is a promising therapeutic option for patients with spinal cord injury; however, the technology has many un-answered questions and further research is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA. Electronic address: bgabel@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Brandon C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Gabel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Erik I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marsala
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ciacci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends
keywords: Direct injection; Mesenchymal; Neuron; Spinal cord injury; Stem cell