Abstract
Here we show that epidermal neural crest stem cell (EPI-NCSC) transplants in the contused spinal cord caused a 24% improvement in sensory connectivity and a substantial recovery of touch perception. Furthermore we present a novel method for the ex vivo expansion of EPI-NCSC into millions of stem cells that takes advantage of the migratory ability of neural crest stem cells and is based on a new culture medium and the use of microcarriers. Functional improvement was shown by two independent methods, spinal somatosensory evoked potentials (SpSEP) and the Semmes-Weinstein touch test. Subsets of transplanted cells differentiated into myelinating oligodendrocytes. Unilateral injections of EPI-NCSC into the lesion of midline contused mouse spinal cords elicited bilateral improvements. Intraspinal EPI-NCSC did not migrate laterally in the spinal cord or invade the spinal roots and dorsal root ganglia, thus implicating diffusible factors. EPI-NCSC expressed neurotrophic factors, angiogenic factors, and metalloproteases. The strength of EPI-NCSC thus is that they can exert a combination of pertinent functions in the contused spinal cord, including cell replacement, neuroprotection, angiogenesis and modulation of scar formation. EPI-NCSC are uniquely qualified for cell-based therapy in spinal cord injury, as neural crest cells and neural tube stem cells share a higher order stem cell and are thus ontologically closely related.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 186-198 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Stem Cell Reviews and Reports |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- EPI-NCSC
- Epidermal neural crest stem cell
- Neural crest
- Semmes-Weinstein touch test
- Somatosensory evoked potential
- Spinal cord
- Spinal cord injury
- Stem cell
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Research