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Endogenous neural progenitor cells in the repair of the injured spinal cord

Stem cell treatments, and in particular, stem cell transplants have been identified as potential therapeutic strategies for a range of neurodegenerative and acquired conditions of the central nervous system (CNS). Stem cell transplants are seen as a way of replacing lost neurons, or providing a cellular environment that is more permissible for axon and cell regeneration. An alternate strategy to transplantation of exogenous stem cells is the recruitment and manipulation of endogenous neural progenitor cells (NPC). NPCs exist in the spinal cord and have been shown to proliferate, migrate and differentiate in response to injury (Mothe and Tator, 2005; Meletis et al., 2008; Hamilton et al., 2009). NPCs may have a wider role than previously thought and it has been reported that NPCs also engage in ‘cross talk’ with immune cells and may be able to modulate the inflammatory response following injury. Our research has focussed on determining the exact timing and location of NPC activation after injury. It is clear that there will be a critical window of opportunity to implement a treatment that harnesses the NPC response to spinal cord injury (SCI), and that this must occur before the full cascade of inflammation has been initiated.