Transplantation of neural cells for the treatment of ischemic damage due to stroke

Methods for administering neural cells to treat ischemic damage due to stroke are described. The neural cells are preferably porcine neural cells, e.g., embryonic porcine cells, obtained from the striatum of a pig. The neural cells can be modified to be suitable for transplantation into an allogeneic or xenogeneic subject, such as a human. For example, the neural cells can be modified such that an antigen (e.g., an MHC class I antigen) on the cell surface which is capable of stimulating an immune response against the cell in an allogeneic or xenogeneic subject is altered (e.g., by contact with an anti-MHC class I antibody, or a fragment or derivative thereof) to inhibit rejection of the cell when introduced into the subject. Another embodiment of the invention features the use of human embryonic striatal cells to treat ischemic damage due to stroke.