A clinically oriented experiment on the effect of mixed culture of neonate spinal cord transplantation on recovery of spinal cord injury

In spinal cord injuries, direct trauma by edges of sublaxated or dislocated vertebrae and indirect ischemia as a result of vascular injury necrotize the neural tissue. After spinal cord injury, tissue loss appears as micro- or macrocavitation. Accumulations of non-neuronal cells substitute spared tissue and halts axon regrowth. Lack of supporting cells (secreting trophic factors and matrix) aggravates the condition. In this study, mixed culture of neonatal spinal cord cells were transplanted as potential source of trophic factors, matrix formers, new substitutional elements and myelinating units. Rats injured by impinging between the blades of a titanium clip (1.16 N closing force). Cells were grafted (2 * 10^6 cells in 8 microliters) subarachnoidally 7 days post-injury. Subjects were followed up for 2 months by behavioral (BBB score, Beam Balance Test, Foot Fault Test, Hopping Reflex, Pedal Withdrawal Reflex, Bracing Reflex, Lateral Tactile Reflex and Foot Static Index) and then were sacrificed and assessed by histological (axon density and demyelination distribution) and magnetic resonance imaging (sparing area and lesion length) techniques. Histological and imaging values significantly increased (P