Methods Mol Biol, 2018 · DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7649-2_28 · Published: January 1, 2018
Adult Schwann cells (SCs) can be transplanted into the injured spinal cord to provide a supportive environment for nerve fiber growth and to help insulate and protect these fibers with myelin. Transplanting peripheral nerves or purified SCs into the injured spinal cord can encourage nerve fiber regeneration and myelination by the SCs. The effects of SC transplants alone on SCI repair are modest. Significant experimental effort has focused on combining SC transplants with additional strategies to enhance their efficacy for SCI repair.
Schwann cell transplantation offers a potential therapeutic strategy for promoting axonal regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury.
Combining Schwann cell transplantation with other therapeutic interventions may enhance the efficacy of spinal cord injury repair.
The described methods provide a valuable preclinical model for assessing the ability of Schwann cells to promote spinal cord repair.