Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To examine the effect of recipient age on the success of olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation into the optic nerve. Methods: Rats of ages from one week to adults (2 months of age) were used as recipients for ensheathing cell implantation into the optic nerve. As described previously, optic nerves were exposed through a lateral approach and gentle retraction of the eye. Lesions of the local glial cell population was accomplished through a microinjection of 0.1% lysolechithin in saline. After 20 minutes, olfactory ensheathing cells labelled with DiI were injected into the same site through a micropipette. Animals were allowed to survive for 30 days and the nerves processed to examine for the presence of implanted cells in demyelinated areas by fluorescence microscopy and immunocytochemistry of p75 NGF receptor antibodies. Results: Grafts of ensheathing cells survived to some extent in almost all animals as evidenced by the presence of fluorescent and immunoreactive cells. Younger animals, particularly those under 30 days, showed a markedly improved survival and dispersion of ensheathing cells into the optic nerve. Conclusion: Olfactory ensheating can be transplanted successfully into recipients of varying ages. As with most studies involving the transplantation of cells or tissues into the central nervous system, the transplantation of ensheathing cells into the optic nerve shows a greater success in younger animals as compared to older. This may be a result of less mature myelination in these animals or different extracellular matrix, metabolic and trophic influences on implanted cells. Supported by the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of the New York Institute of Technology.
Keywords: 607 transplantation • 487 neuro-ophthalmology: optic nerve • 436 injection