Current status of cell-mediated regenerative therapies for human spinal cord injury

• Published in: Neuroscience bulletin 2014-08, Vol.30 (4), p.671-682
• Main Authors: Zhu, Tongming, Tang, Qisheng, Gao, Huasong, Shen, Yiwen, Chen, Luping, Zhu, Jianhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anatomy; Anesthesiology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Clinical Trials as Topic; Human Physiology; Humans; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - physiology; Nerve Regeneration - physiology; Neural Stem Cells - physiology; Neurology; Neurosciences; Pain Medicine; Review; Spinal Cord Injuries - therapy; 临床试验; 人类; 介导; 再生; 状态; 疗法; 神经干细胞; 脊髓损伤
• ISSN: 1673-7067; 1995-8218
• DOI: 10.1007/s12264-013-1438-4

During the past decade, significant advances have been made in refinements for regenerative therapies following human spinal cord injury （SCI）. Positive results have been achieved with different types of cells in various clinical studies of SCI. In this review, we summarize recently-completed clinical trials using cell- mediated regenerative therapies for human SCI, together with ongoing trials using neural stem cells. Specifically, clinical studies published in Chinese journals are included. These studies show that current transplantation therapies are relatively safe, and have provided varying degrees of neurological recovery. However, many obstacles exist, hindering the introduction of a specific clinical therapy, including complications and their causes, selection of the target population, and optimization of transplantation material. Despite these and other challenges, with the collaboration of research groups and strong support from various organizations, cell-mediated regenerative therapies will open new perspectives for SCI treatment.