Integration of Transplanted Neural Precursors with the Injured Cervical Spinal Cord.

ABSTRACT: Cervical spinal cord injuries (SCI) result in devastating functional consequences, including respiratory dysfunction. This is largely attributed to the disruption of phrenic pathways, which control the diaphragm. Recent work has identified spinal interneurons as possible contributors to respiratory neuroplasticity. The present work investigated whether transplantation of developing spinal cord tissue, inherently rich in interneuronal progenitors, could provide a population of new neurons and growth-permissive substrate to facilitate plasticity and formation of novel relay circuits to restore input to the partially denervated phrenic motor circuit. One week after a lateralized, C3/4 contusion injury, adult Sprague-Dawley rats received allografts of dissociated, developing spinal cord tissue

SUBMITTER: Spruance VM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6033309 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature