Transplantation of human neural stem cells has long been proposed as a potential strategy for treating CNS injury and disease; however, application of this approach has had limited therapeutic benefit. Yet compared with rodents and other experimental mammals, humans have a relatively long time window for development of the brain and spinal cord. In this issue of the JCI, Lu and colleagues asked whether the results of neural stem cell transplantation might be improved by accommodating the protracted development of human neural cells. They used a rodent model of spinal cord injury, in which human neural progenitor cells were transplanted at the site of damage. While there was no observable benefit at early time points after transplantation, both anatomic and functional improvements in the injured animals emerged over the course of a year. In particular, the human progenitor cell population differentiated, matured, and integrated into the rodent spinal cords over a time frame that aligned with the normal development of these cells in humans. This study demonstrates that neural stem cells may offer significant therapeutic benefit after CNS injury; however, this process may take time and demands patience on the part of investigators, patients, and clinicians alike.

长期以来，人类神经干细胞移植一直被认为是治疗中枢神经系统损伤和疾病的一种潜在策略。然而，这种方法的应用具有有限的治疗益处。然而，与啮齿动物和其他实验哺乳动物相比，人类大脑和脊髓发育的时间窗口相对较长。在本期JCI中，Lu及其同事询问了通过适应人类神经细胞的长期发育是否可以改善神经干细胞移植的结果。他们使用了啮齿动物脊髓损伤模型，其中在损伤部位移植了人类神经祖细胞。虽然在移植后的早期没有明显的益处，但是在一年的过程中，受伤动物的解剖学和功能都有了改善。特别地，人类祖细胞群在与人类中这些细胞的正常发育相一致的时间范围内分化，成熟并整合到啮齿动物脊髓中。这项研究表明，神经干细胞可能在中枢神经系统损伤后提供显着的治疗益处。但是，此过程可能会花费一些时间，并且要求研究人员，患者和临床医生都耐心等待。