Functional interactions between spinal cord grafts suggest asymmetries dictated by graft maturity

Experimental Neurology
K TrokL Olson

Abstract

Fetal spinal cord tissue grafts have been advocated as a possible repair strategy for spinal cord injury. In the present study, we used intraocular spinal cord grafts to model the interactions which may occur between fetal and adult spinal cord after making such a graft and to study to which extent functional connections can be expected to occur between the host and graft tissue. We first grafted fetal spinal cord to the anterior chamber of the eye where it was allowed to mature. A second piece of fetal spinal cord was then sequentially grafted in contact with the first graft. Electrophysiological recordings made from the older graft while electrically stimulating the younger graft provided evidence for an excitatory innervation from the younger spinal cord graft to the mature spinal cord which appeared to be glutamatergic. However, we only rarely found excitatory inputs from the first, mature spinal cord graft to the younger graft. Fiber connections between the two spinal cord grafts were verified by retrograde tracing and neurofilament immunohistochemistry. In no case was a trophic influence on graft volume observed between spinal cord grafts regardless of whether the transplantations were performed sequentially or at the sam...Continue Reading

References

Jul 1, 1990·Brain Research Bulletin·J B Gelderd, J E Quarles
Nov 22, 1990·The Journal of Comparative Neurology·F Nothias, M Peschanski
Mar 1, 1989·Journal of Neurosurgery·R PalliniA Sbriccoli
Feb 1, 1986·The Journal of Comparative Neurology·B S Bregman, P J Reier
Jun 15, 1982·Experientia·B H Hallas
Feb 1, 1946·The Anatomical Record·M ABERCROMBIE

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 25, 2004·The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. Le Journal Canadien Des Sciences Neurologiques·Sean Dennis ChristieIvar Mendez
Mar 17, 2001·The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. Le Journal Canadien Des Sciences Neurologiques·S D Christie, I Mendez
May 26, 2004·Transplant Immunology·Terence M MyckatynJohn W McDonald

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antibody Specificity

Antibodies produced by B cells are highly specific for antigen as a result of random gene recombination and somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation. As the main effector of the humoral immune system, antibodies can neutralize foreign cells. Find the latest research on antibody specificity here.