Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2020, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (7): 1173-1178.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.270296

    Next Articles

Glial cells in intracerebral transplantation for Parkinson’s disease

  

  1. Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
  • Online:2020-07-15 Published:2020-07-15
  • Contact: Nikola Tomov, MD, PhD, tomovmd@gmail.com.

PDF

125

Abstract:

In the last few decades, intracerebral transplantation has grown from a dubious neuroscientific topic to a

plausible modality for treatment of neurological disorders. The possibility for cell replacement opens a new
field of perspectives in the therapy of neurodegenerative disorders, ischemia, and neurotrauma, with the
most lessons learned from intracerebral transplantation in Parkinson’s disease. Multiple animal studies and
a few small-scale clinical trials have proven the concept of intracerebral grafting, but still have to provide
a uniform and highly efficient approach to the procedure, suitable for clinical application. The success of
intracerebral transplantation is highly dependent on the integration of the grafted cells with the host brain.
In this process, glial cells are clearly more than passive bystanders. They provide transplanted cells with
mechanical support, trophics, mediate synapse formation, and participate in graft vascularization. At the
same time, glial cells mediate scarring, graft rejection, and neuroinflammation, which can be detrimental.
We can use this information to try to understand the mechanisms behind the glial reaction to intracerebral
transplantation. Recognizing and utilizing glial reactivity can move translational research forward and
provide an insight not only to post-transplantation events but also to mechanisms of neuronal death and
degeneration. Knowledge about glial reactivity to transplanted cells could also be a key for optimization of

transplantation protocols, which ultimately should contribute to greater patient benefit.

Key words: astroglia, dopaminergic, glial scarring, microglia, neuroinflammation, Parkinson’s disease, transplantation