Combined Transplantation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and Olfactory Ensheathing Cells on a Biodegradable Scaffold for the Repair of Spinal Cord Injury

Historically, brain and spinal cord is one of the most attractive issues from a scientific research point of view. Although regeneration of mammalian central nervous system (CNS) was once thought to be impossible, studies over the past decades have shown that axonal growth after spinal cord injury (SCI) can happen. Cellular replacement and axon guidance are both necessary for SCI repair. In this study, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) were used. ADSCs have the potential to differentiate neuronal lineages, since it has been described that OECs are capable of migrating into and through as-trocytic scars. Thereby these cells facilitate axonal regrowth through an injury barrier for promoting neural regeneration and functional reconstruction. In order to dose the cells, a cross-linked plasma-based matrix that serves as a three-dimensional scaffold was used. As a first step of the research, an assessment was performed in order to check the viability of the cells as the phenotype on the scaffold. DAPI staining was used to detect cell viability and apoptosis. Phenotypic analysis was performed by inmunohisto-chemistry using the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) as a biomarker for OECs and specific markers to indentify ADSCs. Results suggest that this scaffold is suitable for implanting the cells, and this will be used along future studies as axonal regeneration cellular support in a murine model of spinal cord injury.