Abstract
Spinal cord injury often results in permanent functional impairment. Neural stem cells present in the adult spinal cord can be expanded in vitro and improve recovery when transplanted to the injured spinal cord, demonstrating the presence of cells that can promote regeneration but that normally fail to do so efficiently. Using genetic fate mapping, we show that close to all in vitro neural stem cell potential in the adult spinal cord resides within the population of ependymal cells lining the central canal. These cells are recruited by spinal cord injury and produce not only scar-forming glial cells, but also, to a lesser degree, oligodendrocytes. Modulating the fate of ependymal progeny after spinal cord injury may offer an alternative to cell transplantation for cell replacement therapies in spinal cord injury.
Highlights
Transplantation of different types of stem cells improves functional recovery after spinal cord injury in rodents and primates
Endogenous neural stem cells could be attractive candidates to manipulate for the production of desired progeny after spinal cord injury as an alternative to stem cell transplantation
Nestin is expressed in central nervous system stem and progenitor cells during development and in adulthood [15,16,17,18,19]
Summary
Transplantation of different types of stem cells improves functional recovery after spinal cord injury in rodents and primates. Neural stem cells present in the adult spinal cord can be propagated in vitro [3,4], and promote functional recovery when transplanted to the injured spinal cord [5]. Endogenous neural stem cells could be attractive candidates to manipulate for the production of desired progeny after spinal cord injury as an alternative to stem cell transplantation. This approach would offer a noninvasive strategy that avoids the need for immune suppression, but has been held back by difficulties in identifying adult spinal cord neural stem cells and developing rational ways to modulate their response to injury. Studies using indirect techniques have suggested that the neural stem cell potential in the adult rodent spinal cord resides in the white matter parenchyma [6,7] or close to the central canal, either in the ependymal layer [8] or subependymally [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
