RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study whether human neural progenitor cells can differentiate into neural cells in vivo and improve the recovery of injured spinal cord in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human neural progenitor cells were transplanted into the injured spinal cord and the functional recovery of the rats with spinal cord contusion injury was evaluated with Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor scale and motor evoked potentials. Additionally, the differentiation of human neural progenitor cells was shown by immunocytochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Human neural progenitor cells developed into functional cells in the injured spinal cord and improved the recovery of injured spinal cord in both locomotor scores and electrophysiological parameters in rats.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Human neural progenitor cells can treat injured spinal cord, which may provide a new cell source for research of clinical application.</p>