Axonal regeneration of different tracts following transplants of human glial restricted progenitors into the injured spinal cord in rats

Brain Res, 2018 · DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.01.030 · Published: May 1, 2018

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine Neurology

Simple Explanation

This study examines how human glial restricted progenitors (hGRPs) can help different nerve pathways regrow after a spinal cord injury in rats. The researchers tested hGRPs in two injury types: one affecting sensory nerves and another affecting motor nerves. The hGRPs were transplanted into the injured spinal cords, and the researchers observed how well the cells survived and whether they helped the damaged nerve fibers to regrow. Control animals received a matrix without hGRPs. The results showed that hGRPs can improve the regrowth of sensory and some motor nerve fibers, suggesting they could be part of a future treatment to restore connections after spinal cord injury.

Study Duration

5 weeks

Participants

Adult female Sprague-Dawley (SD, 225–250g) rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Transplanted hGRPs survived better in rats with dorsal column lesions compared to those with hemisection injuries.
2
hGRP transplants promoted sensory axon growth further into the lesion site.
3
Reticulospinal and raphespinal motor axons grew longer distances into the transplants, while rubrospinal axons did not grow into the lesion at all.

Research Summary

The study investigated the efficacy of human glial restricted progenitors (hGRPs) in promoting axonal growth of different tracts after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. hGRP transplants enhanced axonal growth of sensory axons and some motor tracts, but the survival rate of transplanted cells was dependent on the type of injury. The findings suggest that hGRPs can modify the injury site to promote axon growth, and they could be combined with other interventions to restore connectivity after SCI.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Potential

hGRPs show promise as a component of future therapies for spinal cord injury, particularly for promoting sensory and specific motor axon regeneration.

Combination Therapies

Combining hGRP transplants with other interventions, such as neuronal progenitor cells or growth factors, may be necessary to achieve more comprehensive functional recovery.

Clinical Translation

The use of hGRPs directly from frozen stocks suggests a feasible approach for clinical applications, as it aligns with practical clinical protocols.

Study Limitations

1
Axons did not exit the graft in any case.
2
Long-term transplant survival is critical for strategies of cell replacement.
3
Transplants of hGRPs alone are not efficient to promote the injured axons growing through the transplants.

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