ABSTRACT

The aim of this present study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of co-transplantation of neuregulin-1-transfected-Schwann cells (SCs) and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) on a rat model of spinalcord hemi-section injuries (Brown–Séquard syndrome), which is relevant to human clinical spinal cordinjury. Both in vivo and in vitro datawereceived demonstrated that co-transplantation BMSCs with NRG1-transfected SCs reduced the size of cystic cavities, promoted axonal regeneration and hind limb functionalrecovery in comparison with SCs or BMSCs transplantation alone or together, and this treatment couldprovide important insights into potential therapies of spinal cord hemi-section injuries.