The therapeutic effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells after optic nerve damage in the adult rat.

Optic nerve trauma is a common occurrence that results in irreversible blindness. Currently, no effective strategies are known to prevent optic nerve degeneration. We assessed the therapeutic effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) after optic nerve crush in the adult rat. Our results showed that BMSCs significantly promoted the regeneration of injured axons compared with phosphate buffered saline alone. Therefore, BMSC transplantation may be effective for the treatment of central nervous system disorders.