Extensive restoration of forelimb function in primates with spinal cord injury by neural stem cell transplantation.

Neural stem cell transplantation from human embryonic stem cells improves forelimb function by 9.2-fold in hemisected primates with spinal cord injury.

• Why it matters: Restoring functional recovery after spinal cord injury remains a challenge, with previous cell therapies showing limited success. Understanding how to enhance outcomes could significantly improve treatment options for affected individuals.
• What they did: Researchers grafted human embryonic stem cell-derived spinal cord neural stem cells (H9-scNSCs) into hemisected and hemicontused primates, measuring functional recovery and neural integration, with results showing substantial improvements.
• The result: Grafting H9-scNSCs led to a 9.2-fold increase in skilled hand task performance, with a 53.4% success rate in object retrieval, and promoted extensive axonal growth and synapse formation, enabling extensive neural circuit repair.