Background: Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are highly specialized glial cells that guide olfactory receptor axons from nasal mucosa to olfactory bulb. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are attractive candidates for transplantation-mediated repair of injured nervous system owing to their neuroregenerative properties.
Aim of the work: To evaluate the neuroregenerative role of OECs in a model of sciatic nerve crush injury in rats.
Materials and Methods: OECs were isolated from the olfactory mucosa of 15 male albino rats (100 gm). Thirty adult female albino rats (200-250 gm) were used and divided into three groups of 10 rats each. Group I (control group) underwent sham operation. Group II underwent crush injury of sciatic nerve. Group III underwent sciatic nerve crush injury then injected with single dose of 3×104 OECs at the lesion site. All rats were sacrificed after 3 weeks from the onset of the experiment.
Results: Histological examination of sciatic nerves of group II rats showed discontinuity of nerve fibers with vacuolated axoplasm. OECs transplantation in group III revealed restoration of the normal histological architecture of the sciatic nerves. A significant decrease in the diameter of myelinated nerve fibers and myelin sheath thickness was recorded in group II compared to the control group. However, group III revealed a significant increase in the previous parameters compared to group II.
Conclusions: Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) have neuroregenerative properties which might represent a new vision in human cell based therapy.