In the journal "Neuron", the February 1998 edition, appeared an article of
which the following is an abstract:
Cellular and functional recovery of Parkinsonian rats after intrastriatal
transplantation of
carotid body cell aggregates.
We have tested the suitability of chromaffin-like carotid body
glomus cells for dopamine cell replacement in Parkinsonian rats.
Intrastriatal grafting of cell aggregates resulted in almost optimal
abolishment of motor asymmetries and deficits of sensorimotor orientation.
Recovery of transplanted animals was apparent 10 days after surgery and
progressed throughout the 3 months of the study. The behavioral effects
were correlated with the long survival of glomus cells in the host brain.
In host tissue, glomus cells were organized into glomerulus-like structures
and retained the ability to secrete dopamine. Several weeks after
transplantation, dopaminergic fibers emerged from the graft, reinnervating
the striatal gray matter. The special durability of grafted glomus cells in
the conditions of brain parenchyma could be related to their sensitivity to
hypoxia, which is known to induce cell growth, excitability, and dopamine
synthesis. This work should stimulate research on the clinical
applicability of carotid body autotransplants in Parkinson's disease.
Dr. Rene R. Roth, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Dr. Rene R. Roth, M.Sc., Ph.D.
