| Objective : To observe the effects of human EP cells (hEPCs) transplantation on the function recovery of rats with spinal cord injury.Method : Thirty six SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, hEPCs transplantation group, and sham operation group. Functional outcome measurements using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnehan score were performed weekly to eighth week post-injury. .Two months after operation, Sections of tissue were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization for hEPCs identification.Results : The data of the hind limb motor function score demonstrated a significant improvement in the functional outcome of mice transplanted with hEPCs compared with control mice in which only medium was injected. In situ hybridization for ALU- ISH and immunohistochemistry showed that transplanted cells survived for 8weeks after transplantation and expressed specific markers for ancestral cell and vascular endothelial cell(VEC), but not for neurons,astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neural precursors.Conclusions : After transplantation, hEPCs can survive, differentiate into vascular endothelial cell, and improvement spinal cord function recovery as compared with control group. |
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