ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CULTURED ENSHEATHING CELLS FROM ADULT RAT OLFACTORY BULBS AND NASAL OLFACTORY MUCOSA / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Objective On the basis that olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) transplanted into injured spinal cord may facilitate axonal regeneration, the OECs were cultured from olfactory bulb and nasal olfactory mucosa in the present study, in order to explore if the olfactory mucosa could be a new donation for transplanting the olfactory ensheathing cells. Methods OECs were harvested from olfactory bulb and mucosa based on the differing rates of attachment of the various cell types, following GFAP and NGFRp75 immunocytochemistry. Results Three morphological and immunohistochmically distinct types of cell which appeared bipolar,tripolar and flat morphology were present in primary cultures of adult rat olfactory bulb and olfactory mucosa.Conclusion The method of purification for OECs based on the different rates of attachment among the various cell types is simple, inexpensive and practical. The OECs from nasal olfactory mucosa like ones from the olfactory bulb is an accessible source of tissue for autologous grafting in human spinal paralegia in the future.