Effect of embryonic brain tissue transplantation on structural changes in the rat brain after craniocerebral trauma

The effect of homotopic allotransplantation of embryonic cerebral cortex tissue on structural changes in the brain were studied on rats who had suffered a severe craniocerebral trauma (CCT) and subsequent traumatonesis of an injured region. Using Nissl and Golgi-Cox techniques, we showed that the presence of a viable graft in the cavity created by the traumatonesis procedure prevented formation of coarse gliofibrous expansions and extensive dead zones within the perifocal region of the injury locus. Transplantation performed immediately after the CCT and traumatonesis appeared to be most effective. In this case, the graft growth was more intensive and it was better integrated into the recipient's brain; branching of neurons in the graft was more abundant, and their dendrites were densely covered with spines. Thus, the use of early transplantation prevents the development of destructive and dystrophic changes evoked by severe CCT and can be regarded as a promising direction in neurosurgical practice.Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 27, No. 5/6, pp. 350–360, September–December, 1995.