Minimally manipulated autologous adherent bone marrow cells (ABMCs): a promising cell therapy of spinal cord injury.

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating ailment that results in drastic life style alterations for the patients and their family members (McDonald and Sadowsky, 2002). Damage post injury causes necrosis, edema, hemorrhage and vasospasm. Post injury, secondary damage is caused by ischemia, excitotoxicity, lipid peroxidation, free radicals production, and inflammation. Collectively, damage to multiple neuronal and glia sub-types leads to severed axonal connections, demyelination and scar tissue formation. Interventions therefore require regeneration of multiple axonal projections to recreate the lost neuronal diversity originally achieved through an elaborate, tightly regulated transcriptional code during development. Neuronal repair and regeneration post injury is impeded due to absence of such supportive environment in the adult spinal cord (Misra et al., 2014).