Transplanting Myelinogenic Cells into the CNS

The technique of transplanting the nonneuronal or glial cells of the nervous system is almost as old as the century. Cajal and Tello (Cajal, 1928 ) transplanted Schwann cells (in the form of a length of peripheral nerve) into the central nervous system (CNS), with a view to providing a cellular environment supportive of axon regrowth. These studies spawned a fertile and still active area of research in the science of axon regeneration. However, the ability of transplanted glial cells to form myelin sheaths around intact but demyelinated axons has a much shorter pedigree. This facet of glial cell transplantation is the focus of this chapter.