Neurite outgrowth promoting effects of enriched and mixed OEC/ONF cultures.

Olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplants stimulate axon regeneration and partial functional recovery after spinal cord injury. However, it remains unclear whether enriched OEC or mixed transplants of OEC and olfactory nerve fibroblasts (ONF) are optimal for stimulating axon regrowth. The neurite outgrowth stimulating effects of enriched OEC, ONF, and mixed OEC/ONF cultures on neonatal cerebral cortical neurons were compared using co-cultures. We show that (1) OEC are more neurite outgrowth promoting than ONF, and (2) ONF do not enhance the neurite outgrowth stimulating effects of OEC in mixed OEC/ONF cultures. Hence, our data indicate that there is no preference for the use of enriched OEC or mixed OEC/ONF cultures with respect to stimulation of neurite growth in vitro.