Survival, neuronal differentiation, and fiber outgrowth of propagated human neural precursor grafts in an animal model of Huntington's disease

Expanded neural precursor cells provide an attractive alternative to primar y fetal tissue for cell replacement therapies in neurodegenerative diseases . In this study we transplanted epigenetically propagated human neural prec ursor cells into a rat model of Huntington's disease. Neural precursors sur vived transplantation and large numbers differentiated to express neuronal antigens, including some that expressed DARPP-32, indicating a mature stria tal phenotype had been adopted. Neuronal fibers from the grafts projected d iffusely throughout the host brain, although there was no evidence that out growth was specifically target directed. This study supports the contention that propagated human neural precursors may ultimately be of use in therap eutic neural transplantation paradigms for diseases such as Huntington's di sease.