Neuronal markers expression of NGF-primed bone marrow cells (BMCs) transplanted in the brain of 6-hydroxydopamine and ibotenic acid lesioned littermate mice.

In the present study, we aim to show that non-adherent bone marrow cells (BMCs) express TrkA, the nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor, and that addition of NGF promotes the survival and neuronal commitment of BMC transplanted into the experimentally injured brain of littermates mice. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that transplanted BMCs express tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in proximity of the damaged dopaminergic tissues and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the lesioned cholinergic regions. These results suggest that NGF supports the survival and differentiation of uncommitted BMCs and concurs with other local environmental signals to promote the expression of neuronal markers in these cells. The possible functional significance of these observations will be discussed.