Basic study on brain-cell transplantation from a clinical point of view

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The present study demonstrated, by means of immunohistochemical, neurochemical, neurophysiological as well as behavioral analysis, that fetal raphe cells transplanted into the hippocampus with a cell-suspension method can survive, give off fiber-outgrowth and release 5-HT in the adult host brain, and restore host brain functions. It was suggested that transplanted raphe cells may be regarded as an intrahippocampal raphe nucleus from a view of their efferent function. However, it was also demonstrated that these raphe cells were not under normal afferent controls. Further studies are necessary to answer whether normal afferent controls develop over a prolonged period of time. The present study also demonstrated that fetal raphe cells transplanted into the host brain associated with hydrocephalic interstitial edema can survive and give off fiber-outgrowth in spite of the presence of edema itself and increased intracranial pressure. Furthermore, the results indicated that, as far as hydrocephalic interstitial edema is concerned, the edema per se may not only be just susceptible of transplantation but provide more useful environment for survival of transplanted cells. The transplantation method would be useful as an in vivo culture system to evaluate the role of differential environments associated with edema of diverse etiology on cell survivability and fiber-outgrowth.