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Fetal Transplants Alter the Development of Function after Spinal Cord Transection in Newborn Rats
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Fetal Transplants Alter the Development of Function after Spinal Cord Transection in Newborn Rats

Dorene Miya, Simon Giszter, Futoshi Mori, Vijayalakshmi Adipudi, Alan Tessler and Marion Murray
The Journal of neuroscience, v 17(12), pp 4856-4872
15 Jun 1997
PMID: 9169544
url
https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.17-12-04856.1997View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

overground locomotion fetal transplants Keys words: spinal transection treadmill reflex locomotion recovery of function
Pieces of fetal spinal tissue were transplanted into the site of complete midthoracic spinal transections in neonatal rat pups (transplant rats). The development of locomotion in these animals was compared with that of unoperated control rats and rats that received spinal transections alone (spinal rats). Reflex, treadmill and overground locomotion, staircase descent, and horizontal ladder crossing for a water reward were tested in control, spinal, and transplant rats from 3 weeks to adulthood. All tests were readily performed by control animals. Most spinal rats were unable to make many linked weight-supported steps on these tasks. Transplant rats were variable in their locomotor capabilities, but a subset of rats were able to demonstrate coordinated and adaptable locomotion on these tasks. Some transplant rats performed better on more challenging tasks, suggesting that motor strategies for these tasks used different information, perhaps from descending systems. Transplanted tissue survived, and in most cases there was immunocytochemical staining of serotonergic fibers passing into and caudal to the transplant, supporting the conclusion that descending systems grew through the transplanted tissue. Integration with the host tissue was often poor, suggesting that nonspecific or trophic effects of the transplant might also contribute to the development of locomotor function. Therefore several mechanisms may contribute to the repair of injured spinal cord provided by transplants that permit the development of useful locomotion.

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