The survival of brain transplants is enhanced by extracts from injured brain

Fragments of rat embryo corpus striatum implanted into wound cavities in the cortex of neonatal rat hosts showed very poor survival when transplantation was performed immediately after the cavity was made. Consistent survival of the transplants was made possible by supplying the implant with extracts from the injured brain of neonatal rats. These extracts also supported in vitro survival of embryonic striatal neurons, suggesting that transplanted cells benefit from injury-induced neuronotrophic factors.