Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2013, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (10): 890-899.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.10.003

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Human umbilical cord Wharton’s jelly-derived oligodendrocyte precursor-like cells for axon and myelin sheath regeneration

Hong Chen1, Yan Zhang2, Zhijun Yang2, Hongtian Zhang2   

  1. 1 Department of Anesthesiology, Military General Hospital of Beijing PLA, Beijing 100700, China
    2 Affiliated Bayi Brain Hospital, Military General Hospital of Beijing PLA, Beijing 100700, China
  • Received:2012-12-10 Revised:2013-02-15 Online:2013-04-05 Published:2013-04-05
  • Contact: Hongtian Zhang, Ph.D., Attending physician, Affiliated Bayi Brain Hospital, Military General Hospital of Beijing PLA, Beijing 100700, China, zhanghongtian007@126.com. Zhijun Yang, Ph.D., Associate chief physician, Affiliated Bayi Brain Hospital, Military General Hospital of Beijing PLA, Beijing 100700, China, zhijunyangfmmu@ yahoo.com.cn.
  • About author:Hong Chen★, Master, Associate chief physician.

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Abstract:

Human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells from Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord were induced to differentiate into oligodendrocyte precursor-like cells in vitro. Oligodendrocyte precursor cells were transplanted into contused rat spinal cords. Immunofluorescence double staining indicated that transplanted cells survived in injured spinal cord, and differentiated into mature and immature oligodendrocyte precursor cells. Biotinylated dextran amine tracing results showed that cell transplantation promoted a higher density of the corticospinal tract in the central and caudal parts of the injured spinal cord. Luxol fast blue and toluidine blue staining showed that the volume of residual myelin was significantly increased at 1 and 2 mm rostral and caudal to the lesion epicenter after cell transplantation. Furthermore, immunofluorescence staining verified that the newly regenerated myelin sheath was derived from the central nervous system. Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan testing showed an evident behavioral recovery. These results suggest that human umbilical mesenchymal stem cell-derived oligodendrocyte precursor cells promote the regeneration of spinal axons and myelin sheaths.