Repair of demyelinated lesions by glial cell transplantation

Abstract

Transplantation of oligodendrocyte lineage cells results in myelination of naked axons. The most extensive remyelination is achieved using A2B5 positive progenitor cells and these observations encourage the view that glial transplantation may be a useful treatment in human demyelinating diseases. However, several issues need to be resolved before glial cell transplantation can be applied clinically; this review focuses on the choice of cells, their source, whether chronically demyelinated axons can be repaired by transplantation, and whether the principles of glial transplantation established in small rodents are applicable to other mammalian species and to man.