Long-term survival of solid embryonic cerebellar grafts in Lurcher mice

Abstract

Lurcher mutant mice represent a natural model of olivocerebellar degeneration. They serve as a tool to study pathogenesis, the functional impact of the degeneration as well as therapeutic approaches. Wild type littermates are used as healthy controls. Neurotransplantation may be a promising method of therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this work was to compare the long-term survival rate of the solid embryonic cerebellar graft in adult Lurcher mutant and wild type mice of the B6CBA strain and to assess the fundamental structural features of the graft. The graft was obtained from 12-day-old GFP mouse embryos. The brains of host mice were examined histologically 6 months after the transplantation. The graft was identified according to its GFP fluorescence. The graft presence and structure was assessed. The graft survived in all 14 Lurcher mice and in 12 of the 14 wild type mice. Cell migration and fibre sprouting from the graft were poor. No marked differences in the graft morphology between Lurcher mutant and wild type mice were found. The graft survival and appearance were similar to those after a shorter period described in a previous study. This suggests that during the 6 months, no intensive or commonly occurring processes changing the graft had proceeded and that the Lurcher mutant cerebellum niche had no strong influence over the fate of the solid cerebellar graft.