Neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells can reduce pain and other effects of spinal-cord injury in mice.

Persistent nerve pain and loss of bladder control often follow spinal-cord injury, and may be linked to reduced signalling by the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. Thomas Fandel and his colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco, grew the stem cells so that they developed into precursors of neurons that produce GABA, and transplanted them into the injured spinal cords of mice. Six months later, the precursor cells had developed into GABA-producing neurons that formed working connections with existing spinal-cord neurons. Animals that had received the transplants also showed improved bladder function and reduced signs of pain.

The results could point to therapeutic strategies for human spinal-cord injuries in the future, the authors suggest.

Cell Stem Cell http://doi.org/bqzd (2016)