Development of a Model of Sacrocaudal Spinal Cord Injury in Cloned Yucatan MiniPigs for Cellular Transplantation Research

CELLULAR REPROGRAMMING, 2010 · DOI: 10.1089/cell.2010.0039 · Published: December 1, 2010

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine Veterinary Medicine

Simple Explanation

This study explores a new animal model for spinal cord injury (SCI) research, using cloned Yucatan minipigs. The goal was to create a model where SCI could be studied without causing significant mobility issues for the animal, thus addressing ethical concerns. Researchers induced SCI in the tail region (sacrocaudal) of the pigs, resulting in tail paralysis but preserving pelvic limb function. They then transplanted neural stem cells into the injury site to see if the cells would survive and differentiate into different types of neural cells. The study found that the transplanted stem cells did survive and differentiate into glial and neuronal cells in the injured area, without the need for immunosuppressant drugs. This suggests the model is a promising tool for investigating cellular transplantation as a therapy for SCI.

Study Duration

4 Weeks

Participants

5 Yucatan SCNT clones

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Transection of the sacrocaudal spinal cord in Yucatan minipigs induces quantiﬁable tail paralysis without causing impairment in pelvic limb, urinary, or bowel functions.
2
GFP–pNSCs can be transplanted into the injured spinal cord, and survive and differentiate into glial and neuronal cell types without the need for immunosuppression.
3
There was no functional recovery in the transplanted group over the 4 weeks after injury, but unlike the control group, histological ﬁndings revealed that GFAP- or Tuj1-positive cells derived from the transplanted GFP–pNSCs were diffusely located within the spinal cord lesion.

Research Summary

The study introduces a novel animal model for SCI research using cloned Yucatan minipigs, focusing on sacrocaudal spinal cord transection to induce tail paralysis while preserving other motor functions. The research demonstrates the successful transplantation of GFP-labeled neural stem cells into the injury site, with evidence of cell survival and differentiation into glial and neuronal lineages without immunosuppression. Although no functional recovery was observed within the study's timeframe, the model is presented as a valuable tool for future investigations into cellular transplantation therapies for SCI.

Practical Implications

Preclinical Testing

The Yucatan minipig model allows for preclinical testing of SCI therapies in a large mammal, potentially improving translation to human clinical trials.

Ethical Considerations

Sacrocaudal SCI induction minimizes animal distress compared to models inducing limb paralysis, addressing ethical concerns.

Stem Cell Therapy Research

The successful transplantation and differentiation of stem cells in the pig model provides a platform to optimize stem cell therapies for SCI.

Study Limitations

1
Limited observation period of 4 weeks may not be sufficient to assess long-term functional recovery.
2
Small sample size (n=5) limits the statistical power and generalizability of the findings.
3
Lack of functional recovery within the study timeframe necessitates further research into optimizing transplantation protocols and evaluating long-term outcomes.

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