INTEGRATION OF TRANSPLANTED NEURAL PROGENITOR CELLS INTO NEURAL TISSUE OF IMMATURE AND MATURE DYSTROPHIC RECIPIENTS

摘要

The present invention is directed to methods of repairing dystrophic, differentiated neural tissue, such as a damaged or diseased retina or optic nerve, in humans and other animals. In particular, the invention relates to introduction of adult-derived neural progenitor cells into a dystrophic neural tissue site of an animal recipient, including an adult (mature) animal, whether xenogeneic, allogeneic, or syngeneic. These adult-derived, neural progenitor cells can functionally and morphologically integrate into both mature and immature, dystrophic neural tissue.