Environmental cue-dependent dopaminergic neuronal differentiation and functional effect of grafted neuroepithelial stem cells in parkinsonian brain.

Objective: To physiologically repair damaged neural circuitry using neural transplantation, the donor cells must be able to differentiate into the optimal type and number of neurons for the host brain environment. They must also be capable of functional regulation by the host brain. These features are important to optimize functional outcome and to minimize side effects.

Cortical blindness during coil embolization of an unruptured intracranial aneurysm--case report.

A 62-year-old woman suffered transient cortical blindness during coil embolization for a saccular aneurysm in the posterior circulation, with cerebral angiography using non-ionic contrast material. Just before completion of the procedure, the patient showed abrupt onset of restlessness and blindness. At this point 150 ml of contrast material had been injected into the left vertebral artery.

Vigorous neuronal differentiation of amplified and grafted basic fibroblast growth factor-responsive neurospheres derived from neuroepithelial stem cells.

Neuroepithelial stem cells (NESCs) have emerged as a possible donor material aimed at neural transplantation for the repair of damaged neural circuitry, particularly because of their propensity to differentiate into neurons. We previously ascertained in vitro that NESCs derived from rat early embryos could be amplified in culture containing basic fibroblast growth factors (bFGF), and that neurospheres grown for 7 days in the culture had a strong tendency to differentiate into neurons. In this report, we analyze immunohistochemically the biological nature of bFGF-responsive neurospheres derived from NESCs.

Possible harmful effects on central nervous system cells in the use of physiological saline as an irrigant during neurosurgical procedures.

Background: Physiologic saline is routinely used as an irrigant in neurosurgery especially in Japan. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) differs from physiologic saline in its concentration of inorganic salts, osmolality, and pH and is completely different insofar as it contains glucose, protein, cholesterol, and other lipids. The present study was designed to compare the possible functional and morphologic deleterious influence of these differences on cultured rat neural cells using saline (S), Ringer's solution with glucose (Lactec G, LG; Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co.

Feasibility of using early mesencephalic neural plate for intracerebral grafting.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the biological significance and the possibility of intracerebral grafting of neuroepithelial stem cells derived from the mesencephalic neural plate. Immunohistological studies of embryonic day 10.5 (E10.