NEUROGENESIS IN POSTNATAL RAT SPINAL-CORD - A STUDY IN PRIMARY CULTURE

Spinal cord injuries result in paralysis, because when damaged neurons die they are not replaced. Neurogenesis of electrophysiologically fun ctional neurons occurred in spinal cord cultured from postnatal rats. In these cultures, the numbers of immunocytochemically identified neur ons increased over time. Additionally, neurons identified immunocytoch emically or electrophysiologically incorporated bromodeoxyuridine, con firming they had differentiated from mitotic cells in vitro. These fin dings suggest that postnatal spinal cord retains the capacity to gener ate functional neurons. The presence of neuronal precursor cells in po stnatal spinal cord may offer new therapeutic approaches for restorati on of function to individuals with spinal cord injuries.