Early change of the stem cells translated through the cerebrospinal fluid on the injured spinal cord

Objective To observe the early change of hippocampus - derived neural stem cells injected though the 4th ventricle on the injured spinal cord. Methods After cultured with hippocampal tissues from E16 fetuses with GFP gene, the stem cells were transplanted through the 4th ventricle into Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of injured spinal cord. The distribution and differentiation of the stem cells were observed by immunostain and electron microscopy. Results The transplanted cells proliferated into large cell - clusters on the pia mater of the spinal cord and distributed on the cranial side of the injured area. Usually, the size of the clusters is smaller on the dorsal aspect than on the ventral aspect, the number of clusters is larger on the dorsal side than that on the ventral side. These patterns of cell dissemination and proliferation were found on intact spinal cord, as well as at the normal part of the contusion-injured spinal cord (control). In the injured site, the cells migrated into the lesion 1 week after injection and some of which expressed GFAP immunoreactivity. The transplanted cells were integrated into the spinal cord tissue 2-3 weeks following transplantation. Conclusion Application of the neural stem cells through the ventricle is a unique method to disseminate cells all over the spinal cord, and that they can migrate and be integrated into the injured spinal cord.