Spontaneous orientation of transplanted olfactory glia influences axonal regeneration

Transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) have previously been demonstrated to support axonal growth and myelination in the adult rat CNS. Here, the capacity of donor OECs to control the direction of axonal regeneration has been investigated following transplantation, as elongated columns, into the thalamus of adult rats. The OECs formed a 'glial bridge' which extended from the thalamus to the hippocampus. Transplanted OECs rapidly adopted a spindle-shaped morphology which was orientated along the vertical axis of the transplant. Numerous host axons grew into the transplants and followed the highly orientated OEC cell matrix across the choroid fissure. Thus, the spontaneous elongation and orientation of donor OECs may support highly directional host axonal growth across natural barriers within the CNS.