Minority predoctoral fellowship program

描述（由研究者提供）：本提案旨在探索 人骨髓来源的多能成体干细胞的治疗潜力 （MAPCs）用于神经移植和修复。MAPC可以提供（1）来源 用于细胞替代疗法的移植组织和（2）基因治疗载体 以纠正CNS中的代谢或神经化学缺陷。我们将测试 人MAPCs是否可以迁移并经历神经元，位点特异性 通过将它们移植到新生大鼠体内进行体内分化。以来 胆碱能基底前脑变性与认知能力下降相关 在阿尔茨海默病？的疾病，我们将特别解决潜在的 当移植到该区域时，MAPCs的胆碱能分化。离体 神经生长因子基因转移已被证明是一种合适的方法， 改善与基底节变性相关的认知缺陷 前脑胆碱能系统，如老年痴呆症？的疾病。作为基因 治疗车辆，我们有兴趣确定的有效性， 分泌NGF的MAPCs移植改善动物认知缺陷 部分胆碱能免疫损伤因此，我们的实验将测试 MAPCs作为神经移植现成来源的作用 除了易于扩张的优点之外， 分化和体外遗传操作，也体现了独特的 自体移植前景。

DESCRIPTION (provided by investigator): This proposal intends to explore the therapeutic potential of human bone marrow derived multipotent adult stem cells (MAPCs) for neural transplantation and repair. MAPCs could provide a (1) source of grafting tissue for cell replacement therapies and (2) gene therapy vehicles to correct metabolic or neurochemical deficiencies in the CNS. We will test whether human MAPCs can migrate and undergo neuronal, site-specific differentiation in vivo by transplanting them into neonatal rats. Since cholinergic basal forebrain degeneration is correlated with cognitive decline in Alzheimer?s disease, we will particularly addresss the potential for cholinergic differentiation of MAPCs when transplanted in this region. Ex-vivo nerve growth factor gene transfer has been shown to be a suitable approach to improve the cognitive deficits associated with degeneration of the basal forebrain cholinergic system, as seen in aging and Alzheimer?s disease. As gene therapy vehicles, we are interested in determining the effectiveness of NGF-secreting MAPCs transplants to ameliorate the cognitive deficits of animals with partial cholinergic immunolesions. Therefore, our experiments will test the role for MAPCs as a readily available source for neural transplantation tissue that besides the advantage of being amenable to expansion, differentiation and genetic manipulation in vitro, also embodies the unique prospect for autologous transplantation.