Cellular and paracellular transplants for spinal cord injury: A review of the literature

Background: Experimental approaches to limit the spinal cord injury and to promote neurite outgrowth and improved function from a spinal cord injury have exploded in recent decades. Due to the cavitation resulting after a spinal cord injury, newer important treatment strategies have consisted of implanting scaffolds with or without cellular transplants. There are various scaffolds, as well as various different cellular transplants including stem cells at different levels of differentiation, Schwann cells and peripheral nerve implants, that have been reviewed. Also, attention has been given to different re-implantation techniques in avulsion injuries. Methods: Using standard search engines, this literature is reviewed. Conclusion: Cellular and paracellular transplantation for application to spinal cord injury offers promising results for those patients with spinal cord pathology.