Grafted human-induced pluripotent stem-cell–derived neurospheres promote motor functional recovery after spinal cord injury in mice

The study explores the potential of using human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to treat spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice. hiPSCs are a promising cell source because they don't raise the same ethical concerns as embryonic stem cells. Researchers transplanted neurospheres derived from hiPSCs (hiPSC-NSs) into mice with SCI. These transplanted cells survived, moved within the injured spinal cord, and transformed into different types of neural cells, including neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. The transplanted hiPSC-NSs promoted several beneficial effects, such as new blood vessel formation, nerve fiber regrowth, and synapse formation with host neurons. Ultimately, these positive changes led to improved motor function recovery in the mice, without any signs of tumor formation.

• 1
  Transplanted hiPSC-NSs survived, migrated, and differentiated into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes within the injured spinal cord of mice.
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  hiPSC-NSs promoted angiogenesis, axonal regrowth, and myelination in the injured spinal cord, and formed synapses with host mouse neurons.
• 3
  Mice treated with hiPSC-NSs showed significantly better motor functional recovery compared to control animals, and this recovery persisted for 112 days post-SCI, with no tumor formation observed.