Naslov
Toward the treatments with neural stem cells: experiences from ALS

Autori
Mitrečić, Dinko ; Pochet, Roland ; Gajović, Srećko

Izvornik
Anatomical record-advances in integrative anatomy and evolutionary biology (1932-8486) 292 (2009), 12; 1962-1967

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
ALS; stem cells; cell therapy

Sažetak
Common pathological features of neurodegenerative diseases are progressive dysfunction and dying of neurons. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), motor neurons are selectively affected, leading to death due to paralysis. The main therapeutic goal in neurodegenerative diseases is to diminish neural dysfunction and to replace non functional cells with the new ones. “ Cell – oriented” treatment strategies include isolation of neural stem cells, their controlled differentiation, and cellular injections targeting the affected region. Expected effects of injected cells result from the combination of cell replacement and re- establishment of natural cellular environment. Here we summarize the current state of isolation and differentiation of neural stem cells, and we emphasize the region of the tail bud development as natural region where neuroepithelium is derived from undifferentiated mesenchymal cells. The possibility to obtain cells from autologous mesenchyme capable to integrate in affected regions represents a major challenge whose achievement should circumvent the pitfall of the immune reaction against transplanted cells. In this work, we present the current knowledge and clues needed to generate neural stem cells and we illustrate their potentials. Moreover, we present our own results: intravenously injected neural stem cells in symptomatic ALS rats crossed blood brain barrier, migrated to the motor cortex, and continued to differentiate. Thus, the use of neural stem cells in rodent models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis represents a paradigm for all other neurodegenerative diseases.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

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