Single neural progenitor cells derived from EGFP expressing mice is useful after spinal cord injury in mice

Neural stem cells (NSCs) were widely used for studying the cell's replacement after transplantation in nervous system because of its specific characteristics. However, tracing the cells after transplantation was still a problem. In the present study, we isolated and cultured the neural stem cells from the C57BL/6J EGFP transgenic mouse (EGFP mice), and identified the capacity for self- renewal and differentiation into the three CNS lineages (neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes). Then we transplanted the single neural stem cell into the lesion spinal cord. Expression of GFP and differentiation was evaluated at two weeks post-transplantation. The data showed that these neural stem cells derived from the EGFP mice could maintain transgene expression and could differentiate into the MAP2 positive cells after transplantation into the injured spinal cord. The results suggested that NSC expressing EGFP was a useful marker for tracing the cells after transplantation in vivo and functional in the treatment to spinal cord injury.