Repair of Adult Rat Corticospinal Tract by Transplants of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells

TLDR

Adult rats underwent unilateral upper cervical corticospinal tract transection, after which a suspension of olfactory bulb‑derived ensheathing cells was injected into the lesion site. The transplant induced unbranched, elongative growth of cut corticospinal axons that traversed the bridge and regenerated into the denervated caudal tract, enabling directed forepaw reaching on the lesioned side, whereas rats without cells failed to use the forepaw.

Abstract

The upper cervical corticospinal tract was transected on one side in adult rats. A suspension of ensheathing cells cultured from adult rat olfactory bulb was injected into the lesion site. This induced unbranched, elongative growth of the cut corticospinal axons. The axons grew through the transplant and continued to regenerate into the denervated caudal host tract. Rats with complete transections and no transplanted cells did not use the forepaw on the lesioned side for directed reaching. Rats in which the transplanted cells had formed a continuous bridge across the lesion exhibited directed forepaw reaching on the lesioned side.*