Neural-tube-derived neuroepithelial stem cells: a new transplant resource for Parkinson's disease

To assess the feasibility of using neuroepithelial stem cells as a transplant source for Parkinson's disease, neuroepithelial cells were harvested from the neural tube, cultured and stereotactically transplanted into the striatum of a rat model of Parkinson's disease. In culture, neuroepithelial cells generated abundant neurospheres and differentiated into both neurons and glia. After transplantation, tyrosine-hydroxylase-positive cells were detected in the graft. Furthermore, an apomorphine-induced rotation test showed that the implanted cells successfully promoted functional recovery in animals that underwent this transplantation procedure. Our results demonstrate that neuroepithelial cells may be a new source of donor material for Parkinson's disease.