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Abstract

Porcine spinal cord cells and methods for using the cells to treat spinal cord damage due to neurodegeneration resulting from spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative disorders are described. The porcine spinal cord cells are preferably embryonic spinal cord cells obtained from select gestational days. The porcine spinal cord cells can be modified to be suitable for transplantation into a xenogeneic subject, such as a human. For example, the porcine spinal cord cells can be modified such that an antigen (e.g., an MHC class I antigen) on the cell surface which is capable of stimulating an immune response against the cell in a xenogeneic subject is altered (e.g., by contact with an anti-MHC class I antibody, or a fragment or derivative thereof) to inhibit rejection of the cell when introduced into the subject. In one embodiment, the porcine spinal cord cells are obtained from a pig which is essentially free from organisms or substances which are capable of transmitting infection or disease to the recipient subject. The porcine spinal cord cells of the present invention can be used to treat spinal cord damage due to neurodegeneration in the spinal cord of a xenogeneic subject (e.g., a human having spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or multiple sclerosis) by introducing the cells into the spinal cord of the subject.

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First Claim