Authors: Satoshi Nori, Mohamad Kahazaei, Christopher S. Ahuja, Kazuya Yokota, Jan-Eric Ahlfors, Yang Liu, Jain Wang, Shinsuke Shibata, Jonathon Chio, Marian H Hettiaratchi, Tobias Fuhrmann, Molly S. Shoichet, Michael G. Gehlings
Summary:
“Treatment of chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) is challenging due to cell loss, cyst formation, and the glial scar. Previously, we reported on the therapeutic potential of a neural progenitor cell (NPC) and chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) combinatorial therapy for chronic SCI. However, the source of NPCs and delivery system required for ChABC remained barriers to clinical application. Here, we investigated directly reprogrammed human NPCs biased toward an oligodendrogenic fate (oNPCs) in combination with sustained delivery of ChABC using an innovative affinity release strategy in a crosslinked methylcellulose biomaterial for the treatment of chronic SCI in an immunodeficient rat model.
This combinatorial therapy increased long-term survival of oNPCs around the lesion epicenter, facilitated greater oligodendrocyte differentiation, remyelination of the spared axons by engrafted oNPCs, enhanced synaptic connectivity with anterior horn cells and neurobehavioral recovery. This combinatorial therapy is a promising strategy to regenerate the chronically injured spinal cord.“
READ THE FULL OPEN ACCESS PAPER AT SCIENCE DIRECT STEM CELL REPORTS HERE
SPINAL CORD INJURY RESEARCH AND SCIENCE 
Cells are damaged. New cells with axon nerve growth may need to replace what was lost in the tissue injury of the spinal cord.
These cells are not on the market yet. They’re currently being tested in Japan and Canada. Hopefully a biotech company will invest in them and bring them to the open market soon.