Differentiation of neurosphere after transplantation into the damaged spinal cord

JOURNAL of MEDICINE and LIFE, 2023 · DOI: 10.25122/jml-2022-0346 · Published: April 1, 2023

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cells

Simple Explanation

This study investigates how human neural stem cells differentiate and survive when transplanted into damaged spinal cords of rats. The cells, called neurospheres, were derived from human embryonic stem cells (HUES6) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). The study aimed to compare the behavior of these cells both in lab cultures and after transplantation. The researchers created spinal cord injuries in rats and then transplanted the neurospheres into the injured area. They used fluorescence microscopy to observe what happened to the cells. They were looking to see if the cells would turn into astrocytes (a type of brain cell) or neurons, and how well they would survive. The results showed that the neurospheres tended to differentiate into astrocytes in the injured spinal cord, even if they didn't fully differentiate in the lab. The origin of the stem cells (HUES6 vs. iPSC) seemed to affect their survival and differentiation. The injured spinal cord environment had a strong influence on the transplanted cells.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Male Wistar rats aged 3 months and weighing 160±12 g

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
HUES6 and iPSC neurospheres displayed markers associated with glial differentiation.
2
Neurospheres transplanted into the injured spinal cord without additional growth factors showed moderate survival.
3
The injured spinal cord microenvironment significantly impacted the differentiation of transplanted neurospheres into astrocytes.

Research Summary

The study aimed to compare the differentiation and survival of human neural stem/progenitor cells of various origins in vitro and after transplantation into the injured spinal cord of laboratory animals. PSC-derived neurospheres transplanted into the site of SM injury without additional growth factors showed only moderate survival, a significant degree of differentiation into astrocytes, and moderate differentiation into neurons. The results showed that HUES6-derived neurospheres generated 90% of GFAP+ astrocytes and 5-10% of early neurons, while iPSC-derived neurospheres generated an average of 74% GFAP+ astrocytes and 5% of early neurons in vivo.

Practical Implications

Understanding Cell Differentiation

The study provides insights into how the microenvironment of the injured spinal cord influences the differentiation of transplanted stem cells.

Optimizing Transplantation Strategies

The findings suggest that growth factors and the origin of stem cells (HUES6 vs. iPSC) can impact the survival and differentiation of transplanted cells, which can inform future transplantation strategies.

Developing Therapies for Spinal Cord Injury

The research supports the potential of using neurospheres as a source of cells for activating neurogenesis and promoting the formation of nerve cells, particularly astrocytes, in the context of spinal cord injury.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on rats, and the results may not be directly applicable to humans.
2
The exact mechanisms by which the spinal cord microenvironment influences cell differentiation are not fully understood.
3
The long-term effects of neurosphere transplantation were not examined in this study.

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