It has been extensively confirmed that fetal ventral mesencephalic cell (VMC) transplantation can ameliorate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). But there are still several problems to be resolved before the extensive clinical application of this technology. The major limitations are the poor survival of grafted dopamine (DA) neurons and restricted dopaminergic reinnervation of host striatum. Some attempts have been made to solve these problems including use of some trophic factor and co-transplantation with neural/paraneural origins. The purpose of this review is to overview advances of the means improving the survival of grafts and their current limitations.
Animals ; Brain Tissue Transplantation ; methods ; Fetal Stem Cells ; transplantation ; Fetal Tissue Transplantation ; methods ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Mesencephalon ; embryology ; transplantation ; Parkinson Disease ; therapy

Functional reconstruction of injured spinal cord depends on its structure restoration,tissue transplantation is the most important strategy in medicine field at present. The tissue applied for transplantation including peripheral nerves, embryonic spinal cord, cellular transplantation and gene organization. However, the results exist dissension. The report overviews the status quo of tissue transplantation, intended to strengthen the recognition of treatment of spinal cord injury.
Cell Transplantation ; Fetal Tissue Transplantation ; Humans ; Peripheral Nerves ; transplantation ; Spinal Cord ; transplantation ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Tissue Engineering ; Tissue Transplantation

Animals ; Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; transplantation ; Fetal Tissue Transplantation ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease ; therapy ; Transplantation, Heterologous

The dose of CD34+ cells is known to influence the outcome of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) and/or T-cell-depleted transplantation. A previous study proposed that 2×10⁶ CD34+ cells/kg is the ideal minimum dose for allogeneic transplantation, although lower doses did not preclude successful therapy. In the case we present here, CD34+ cells were collected from a matched sibling donor on the day of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; however, the number of cells was not sufficient for transplantation. Consequently, PBSCs were collected three additional times and were infused along with cord blood cells from the donor that were cryopreserved at birth. The cumulative dose of total nuclear cells and CD34+ cells was 15.9×10⁸ cells/kg and 0.95×10⁶ cells/kg, respectively. White blood cells from this patient were engrafted on day 12. In summary, we report successful engraftment after infusion of multiple low doses of CD34+ cells in a patient with severe aplastic anemia.
Anemia, Aplastic ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Fetal Blood ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Parturition ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Siblings ; Stem Cells ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of PCNA and Bcl-2 in the traumatic brain area transplanted with embryonic brain tissue in rats.

METHODSThe cerebral contusion of rats was induced by dropping weight. The homogenates of embryonic brain tissue were transplanted into the traumatic brain area two weeks after injury. All rats were sacrificed 6 weeks after injury (4 weeks after transplantation), and their brains were examined histologically. The expressions of PCNA and Bcl-2 in the brains were analyzed by immunohistochemical methods.

RESULTSThe histology of brain presented the capillary and glia proliferation, especially in the transplantation group. No significant difference was found in the expression of PCNA between two groups. However, Bcl-2 was overexpressed in the transplantation group.

CONCLUSIONThe transplantation of the embryonic brain tissue enhances the expression of Bcl-2, which may play a neuroprotective role following traumatic brain injury.

Animals ; Brain Injuries ; metabolism ; surgery ; Brain Tissue Transplantation ; Female ; Fetal Tissue Transplantation ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; analysis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; Rats

The prevalence of renal disease continues to increase worldwide. When normal kidney is injured, the damaged renal tissue undergoes pathological and physiological events that lead to acute and chronic kidney diseases, which frequently progress to end stage renal failure. Current treatment of these renal pathologies includes dialysis, which is incapable of restoring full renal function. To address this issue, cell-based therapy has become a potential therapeutic option to treat renal pathologies. Recent development in cell therapy has demonstrated promising therapeutic outcomes, in terms of restoration of renal structure and function impaired by renal disease. This review focuses on the cell therapy approaches for the treatment of kidney diseases, including various cell sources used, as well recent advances made in preclinical and clinical studies.
Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy/*methods ; Fetal Stem Cells/transplantation ; Humans ; Kidney/cytology ; Kidney Diseases/*therapy ; Pluripotent Stem Cells/transplantation ; Stem Cell Transplantation/methods

Cord blood (CB) has been used as an important and ethical source for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) as well as cell therapy by manufacturing mesenchymal stem cell, induced pleuripotential stem cell or just isolating mononuclear cell from CB. Recently, the application of cell-based therapy using CB has expanded its clinical utility, particularly, by using autologous CB in children with refractory diseases. For these purposes, CB has been stored worldwide since mid-1990. In this review, I would like to briefly present the historical development of clinical uses of CB in the fields of SCT and cell therapy, particularly to review the experiences in Korea. Furthermore, I would touch the recent banking status of CB.
Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy* ; Child ; Fetal Blood* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Korea ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Stem Cells* ; Transplantation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the development of xenografted primitive human germ cells by using fetal testicular tissues as donor tissues and an immunodeficient mouse as the recipient.

METHODSTesticular tissue fragments of a 26-week fetus were grafted under the back skin of a castrated immunodeficient mouse. Grafts were taken out after 135 days and processed for morphological and histological analyses.

RESULTSThe mass of grafts grew from about 1 mm in diameter and 5 mg in wet weight to about 3 mm and more than 20 mg 135 days after grafting. Histological observations showed a significant expansion of seminiferous tubules after grafting (80 +/- 25 microm in diameter) in comparison with seminiferous cords at the time of grafting (60 +/- 15 microm in diameter). The seminiferous cords developed into seminiferous tubules with the epithelial border and lumen. After 135 days of grafting, most of the dispersedly distributed primitive Sertoli cells and germ cells migrated to the basal part of seminiferous epithelium, located on the basement membrane and few of germ cells differentiated into spermatogonia.

CONCLUSIONHuman fetal testicular tissues could survive and continuously develop after being xenograft into castrated immunodeficient mice.

Animals ; Fetal Tissue Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Spermatids ; growth & development ; Testis ; cytology ; transplantation ; Transplantation, Heterologous

OBJECTIVETo select the optimal pregnancy time window of embryonic pig skin precursor tissue for xenotransplantation and study its ability in wound repair.

METHODSSkin precursor tissues were obtained from pig fetus of fetal age of 35, 42, 56, 70 days, and were minced into microskin and transplanted to dorsal wounds of BALB/c nude mice, then they were covered with residual skin after plastic surgery of patients or adult pig skin (white). The characteristics of growth and development were observed after transplantation. Pathological examination was performed on 6 and 12 post operation weeks respectively to observe the tissue structure and tumorigenicity.

RESULTSSkin precursor tissues from fetal pig survived and developed after transplantation, and the microskin fused. New tissue area from skin precursor tissues with fetal age of 42 days was (47 +/- 6) mm2, which was higher than that of 35 days (18 +/- 8 mm2), 56 days (31 +/- 12 mm2), 70 days (20 +/- 8 mm2, P < 0.05). The skin precursor developed into "intact skin" with hair, sebaceous glands and sweat glands, and melanocytes were also detected in epidermis. The newly-grown skin tissue included epidermal and dermal layer, and obvious dermal papillae. Teratoma was not found after transplantation in skin precursor tissue with fetal age of 56, 70 days.

CONCLUSIONFetal pig skin precursor tissue with fetal age of 56 days can be used to repair wound as xenotransplantation.

Animals ; Fetal Tissue Transplantation ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Skin Transplantation ; Swine ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Wound Healing

Cord blood (CB) has been used as an important source for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and has been stored in public CB banks (CBBs) worldwide since the mid-1990s. Recently, the application of cell-based therapy using CB has expanded its clinical utility for various refractory diseases and immunologic diseases through the manufacture of mesenchymal stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells and the isolation of mononuclear cells from CB. In this review, I briefly summarize the biologic characteristics and banking process of CB, as well as the current status of public and private CBBs. I also review the current status of stem cell transplantation and cell-based therapy using CBs. Finally, I suggest strategies of banking CBs in anticipation of future medical advances.
Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy ; Cryopreservation ; Fetal Blood ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Immune System Diseases ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Population Characteristics ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Transplantation