Synaptic development in the injured spinal cord cavity following co-transplantation of fetal spinal cord cells and autologous activated Schwann cells  

作　　者：Wendong Ruan Yuan Xue Ninghua Li Xiaotao Zhao Huajian Zhao Peng Li 

机构地区：[1]Department of Orthopedics, Tianjin Medical University Genemal Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China [2]Beijing Hospital, Ministry of Health, Beijing 100730, China

出　　处：《Neural Regeneration Research》2010年第19期1445-1450,共6页中国神经再生研究（英文版）

基　　金：the Tianjin Science and Technology Commission Key Project,No.07JCZDJC08000;the Natural Science Foundation of China, No.30772193,30571876;National High-Tech R&D Program of China (863 Program),No.2007AA04Z235

摘　　要：Transplantation of activated transgenic Schwann cells or a fetal spinal cord cell suspension has been widely used to treat spinal cord injury. However, little is known regarding the effects of co-transplantation. In the present study, autologous Schwann cells in combination with a fetal spinal cord cell suspension were transplanted into adult Wistar rats with spinal cord injury, and newly generated axonal connections were observed ultrastructurally. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed that the neuroblast first presented cytoplasmic processes, followed by pre- and postsynaptic membranes with low electron density forming a dense projection. The number and types of synaptic vesicles were increased. Synaptic connections developed from single cell body-dendritic synapses into multiple cell body-dendritic and dendrite-dendritic synapses. In addition, the cell organs of the transplanted neuroblast, oligodendroblast and astroblast matured gradually. The blood-brain barrier appeared subsequently. Moreover, neurofilament, histamine, calcitonin-gene-related peptides, and glial fibrillary acidic protein positive fibers were observed in the transplant region. These findings demonstrate that fetal spinal cord cells in the presence of autologous activated Schwann cells can develop into mature synapses in the cavity of injured spinal cords, suggesting the possibility of information exchange through the reconstructed synapse between fetal spinal cord cells and the host.Transplantation of activated transgenic Schwann cells or a fetal spinal cord cell suspension has been widely used to treat spinal cord injury. However, little is known regarding the effects of co-transplantation. In the present study, autologous Schwann cells in combination with a fetal spinal cord cell suspension were transplanted into adult Wistar rats with spinal cord injury, and newly generated axonal connections were observed ultrastructurally. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed that the neuroblast first presented cytoplasmic processes, followed by pre- and postsynaptic membranes with low electron density forming a dense projection. The number and types of synaptic vesicles were increased. Synaptic connections developed from single cell body-dendritic synapses into multiple cell body-dendritic and dendrite-dendritic synapses. In addition, the cell organs of the transplanted neuroblast, oligodendroblast and astroblast matured gradually. The blood-brain barrier appeared subsequently. Moreover, neurofilament, histamine, calcitonin-gene-related peptides, and glial fibrillary acidic protein positive fibers were observed in the transplant region. These findings demonstrate that fetal spinal cord cells in the presence of autologous activated Schwann cells can develop into mature synapses in the cavity of injured spinal cords, suggesting the possibility of information exchange through the reconstructed synapse between fetal spinal cord cells and the host.

关 键 词：fetal spinal cord cell suspension SYNAPSE DEVELOPMENT autologous activated Schwann cells spinal cord injury peripheral nerve injury neural regeneration 

分 类 号：Q510.3[生物学—生物化学] S961.6[农业科学—水产养殖]