Intravenous Administration of Human Muse Cells Ameliorates Deficits in a Rat Model of Subacute Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigates the potential of Muse cells to treat spinal cord injuries in rats. Muse cells, a type of pluripotent stem cell, were administered intravenously two weeks after the spinal cord injury. The researchers found that the rats treated with Muse cells showed significant improvements in hindlimb motor function compared to the control group. Additionally, the size of the cystic cavity (damage area) in the spinal cord was smaller in the Muse cell group. The study also found that Muse cells differentiated into neuronal and neural cells within the injured spinal cord, suggesting they contribute to tissue repair. When the function of these human Muse cells was selectively blocked, the benefits were reversed, indicating their direct role in recovery.

• 1
  Intravenous administration of CL2020 containing Muse cells significantly improved hindlimb motor functions in rats with subacute spinal cord injury from 6 to 20 weeks after administration.
• 2
  The cystic cavity in the injured spinal cord was significantly smaller in the CL2020-treated group compared to the control group, indicating reduced spinal cord damage.
• 3
  Muse cells in CL2020 differentiated into neuronal and neural cells within the injured spinal cord, and selectively ablating human cell functions reversed the therapeutic effects, confirming the direct contribution of Muse cells to functional recovery.