Autologous transplantation in the central nervous system.

ABSTRACT

Cell transplantation has been proposed to replace lost neurons in the diseased brain, and after injuries to the central nervous system (CNS). Strategies for cellular therapy in the CNS consist primarily in heterologous transplantations. Despite the CNS being an immunologically privileged site, immune rejection of intracerebral transplants remains a concern. In addition, the use of immunosuppressive drugs, like cyclosporine, is a major constraint associated with heterologous transplantations. Autologous transplantation is therefore viewed as the model of choice for cellular therapy. With the recent progress in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) research, and the confirmation that neurogenesis occurs in the adult brain and neural stem cells (NSCs) reside in the adult CNS, new opportunities for autologous transplantations are being considered for the CNS, and are promising.