REPAIR OF ADULT-RAT CORTICOSPINAL TRACT BY TRANSPLANTS OF OLFACTORY ENSHEATHING CELLS

The upper cervical corticospinal tract was transected on one side in a dult rats. A suspension of ensheathing cells cultured from adult rat o lfactory bulb was injected into the lesion site, This induced unbranch ed, elongative growth of the cut corticospinal axons, The axons grew t hrough the transplant and continued to regenerate into the denervated caudal host tract, Rats with complete transections and no transplanted cells did not use the forepaw on the lesioned side for directed reach ing, Rats in which the transplanted cells had formed a continuous brid ge across the lesion exhibited directed forepaw reaching on the lesion ed side.