Transplantation Of Neural Stem Cells In The Lateral Ventricle Of Vascular Dementia Rats

Objective1. Establish vascular dementia rat model.2. To isolated neural stem cells from hippocampus of neonatal rats and transplant into the lateral ventricle of adult vascular dementia rats.3. To investigate the survival, migration and differentiation of neural stem cells whichtransplanted into the lateral ventricle of vascular dementia rats.MethodsThe NSCs which had ability to form clones were isolated from hippocampus ofneonatal rats by using serum-free cell culture and single cell clone test. Clones werepassaged continuously in order to acquire a large number of clones, andimmunofluorescence was used to detect Nestin antigen of the clone and specificantigen of mature neural cells after the clone was induced to differentiate. Thevascular dementia rat model was reproduced by permanent occlusion of bilateralcommon carotid arteries of rats. 30 days after permanent occlusion the arteries,abilities of learning and memory of rats were tested by using the Morris water maze.The histomorphology of hippocampus was observed and analyzed by microscopy. Thecultured neural stem cells were labeled by BrdU and transplanted into lateral ventricleof adult vascular dementia rats. Immunofluorescence was used to detect survival,migration and differentiation of neural stem cells.Results Cells were isolated from hippocampus of neonatal rats express Nestinantigen and can differentiate to neuron, astrocytes. The average escape latency ofmodel is longer than that in control in place navigation test. For spatial probe test, itwas seen that the lingering time in platform area of model rat is shorter than that ofcontrol. Loss of cells was seen in CA1 subfield of hippocampus 30 days afterocclusion of bilateral common carotid arteries on rats. Neural stem cells weretransplanted into lateral ventricle of vascular dementia rats. After four weeks,immunofluorescence was used to detect survival, migration and differentiation ofneural stem cells. The results show neural stem cells can survive, migrate to cortexand hippocampus, and differentiate to neuron and astroglialcells.ConculsionThe kind of rat model reproduced by permanent occlusion of bilateral commoncarotid arteries of rats can result vascular dementia. Cells which express nestinantigen are multipotent cells and have ability to self-renew, and we believe there haveneural stem cells in hippocampus. The neural stem cells which transplanted intolateral ventricle of vascular dementia rats can survive, migrate and differentiate.