Resumo

ESTRADA-MONDACA, Sandino et al. Spinal cord injury and regenerative medicine. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2007, vol.49, n.6, pp. 437-444. ISSN 0036-3634.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-36342007000600011.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a trauma problem striking mainly working age adults, therefore affecting society beyond the victim’s family circle. Most of the victims of SCI will never recover; therapy for this type of injury consists basically on spinal cord support and stabilization. With the discovery of stem cells (SC), SCI treatment has been given another chance. Stem cells are responsible for tissue renewal throughout the individual’s life, as well as tissue repair when needed. From the therapeutic point of view, the most appealing SC are those capable of generating a variety of tissues, those easily harvested, and finally, those ethically unquestioned. This article summarizes some studies carried with SC of various origins and their application to SCI treatment.

Palavras-chave : spinal cord injury; stem cells; regenerative medicine; neurogenesis; central nervous system.