Transplantation of a new composite of neural cells and marrow stromal cells into rat brain after stroke

We constructed a biologic material composed of fetal rat brain cells (neurospheres) and adult rat bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs), designated as NMCspheres. Adult rats were subjected to 2 hours of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and implanted with cultured prelabeled NMCspheres (n=6), neurospheres (n=5) or MSCs (n=6) into the ischemic penumbra at 24 hours after MCAo. Control adult rats (n=10) were subjected to MCAo alone. In vitro within the NMCspheres, MSCs rapidly formed a process network with intact neural cells compared with a necrotic core within neurospheres alone. An in vivo rat corneal assay demonstrated that NMCspheres enhanced angiogenesis compared to MSCs and neurospheres. Neurological functional recovery after stroke was enhanced in rats treated with NMCspheres, compared to rats with neurosphere or MSC treatments by day 7 and day 14 after transplantation. The NMCspheres are a new composite material that may be employed in the treatment of stroke.