Boundary Cap Neural Crest Stem Cells Promote Survival of Mutant SOD1 Motor Neurons.

ABSTRACT: ALS is a devastating disease resulting in degeneration of motor neurons (MNs) in the brain and spinal cord. The survival of MNs strongly depends on surrounding glial cells and neurotrophic support from muscles. We previously demonstrated that boundary cap neural crest stem cells (bNCSCs) can give rise to neurons and glial cells in vitro and in vivo and have multiple beneficial effects on co-cultured and co-implanted cells, including neural cells. In this paper, we investigate if bNCSCs may improve survival of MNs harboring a mutant form of human SOD1 (SOD1^G93A) in vitro under normal conditions and oxidative stress and in vivo after implantation to the spinal cord. We found that survival of SOD1^G93A MNs in vitro was increased in the presence of bNCSCs under normal cond

SUBMITTER: Aggarwal T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5509618 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature