Oh no, we're creating human brains in rats. Shades of Christine O’Donnell famously insisting that scientists were putting human brains into mice.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23276704
Abstract
Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) in
subventricular zone (SVZ) produce new striatal neurons during several
months after stroke, which may contribute to recovery. Intracerebral
grafts of NSPCs can exert beneficial effects after stroke through
neuronal replacement, trophic actions, neuroprotection, and modulation
of inflammation. Here we have explored whether human fetal
striatum-derived NSPC-grafts influence striatal neurogenesis and promote
recovery in stroke-damaged brain. T cell-deficient rats were subjected
to 1 h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Human fetal NSPCs or
vehicle were implanted into ipsilateral striatum 48 h after MCAO,
animals were assessed behaviorally, and perfused at 6 or 14 weeks.
Grafted human NSPCs survived in all rats, and a subpopulation had
differentiated to neuroblasts or mature neurons at 6 and 14 weeks.
Numbers of proliferating cells in SVZ and new migrating neuroblasts and
mature neurons were higher, and numbers of activated
microglia/macrophages were lower in the ischemic striatum of
NSPC-grafted compared to vehicle-injected group both at 6 and 14 weeks. A
fraction of grafted NSPCs projected axons from striatum to globus
pallidus. The NSPC-grafted rats showed improved functional recovery in
stepping and cylinder tests from 6 and 12 weeks, respectively. Our data
show, for the first time, that intrastriatal implants of human fetal
NSPCs exert a long-term enhancement of several steps of striatal
neurogensis after stroke. The grafts also suppress striatal inflammation
and ameliorate neurological deficits.
Our findings support the idea
that combination of NSPC transplantation and stimulation of neurogenesis
from endogenous NSPCs may become a valuable strategy for functional
restoration after stroke.
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