Logo for the Journal of Rehab R&D

JRRD at a Glance

Potential of olfactory ensheathing cells for cell-based therapy in spinal cord injury

Christine Radtke, MD, PhD, et al.

Figure. Basic organization of olfactory system and two important neurogenic zones in adult: subventricular zone (SVZ) and olfactory epithelium (OE).

The olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC), a specialized glial cell in the olfactory system, remarkably improves functional outcome when transplanted into rodents with spinal cord injury (SCI). Clinical studies transplanting OECs into people with SCI are ongoing. Yet, controversial issues related to OEC biology and transplantation must be addressed so that we may understand the rationale and expectations for OEC use in SCI therapy. In this review, we provide information on the basic biology of the OEC, its therapeutic effects in animal models, and current clinical studies of OECs in patients with SCI.


Volume 45 Number 1, 2008
   Pages 141 — 152

View HTML   ¦    View PDF   ¦    Contents Vol. 45, No.1