Intrahippocampal transplantation of ES cell-derived neural precursor cells into a chronic epilepsy model – functional analysies

Despite the potential of embryonic stem (ES) cell-based reconstructive approaches, very little is known about the functional properties of these cells after in vivo transplantation into the adult central nervous system, especially into a pathologically altered environment. Here, we have analyzed the functional integration of ES cell-derived neurons (ESNs) into an adult rat model of chronic epilepsy. The pilocarpine model, in which rats develop recurrent seizures with concomitant hippocampal atrophy, gliosis and neuron loss some weeks after a pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus, was used as a chronic epilepsy…