Cell-based therapies for Parkinson's disease

The investigation of cell transplantation therapies followed the discovery that the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta resulted in the motor symptoms of the disease.

Autotransplantation of adrenal medullary tissue into the brains of animal models of Parkinson's disease showed minimal benefits.

[5][6] Following these initial disappointing results however, a trial in Mexico demonstrated significant motor benefits in two patients with Parkinson's disease who had undergone the procedure.

Glomus cells are derived from the neural crest and secrete dopamine in response to hypoxemia (low level of oxygen in the blood).

[10] Based on their ability to secrete dopamine and also glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF),[11] these cells have been investigated as an intrastriatal autograft therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease.

A diagram of the rostral midbrain at the level of the superior colliculi . An area of the brain which degenerates in Parkinson's disease , called the substantia nigra pars compacta , is visualized as two dark brown bands in the lower half of the image.
Histological section through the adrenal gland . The black pointer indicates the innermost layer known as the adrenal medulla .
A diagram of the arterial supply to the head and neck. The common carotid artery can be seen bifurcating into the internal carotid artery and external carotid artery . The carotid body is found at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery, in the same location as the carotid sinus .