Table 2.

Summary of transplantation strategies to promote recovery of respiratory function after SCI

Species	SCI	Strategy	Results	Potential Mechanism
Rat young adult1	cervical (2–3) hemisection	autologous peroneal nerve inserted into ipsilateral dorsolateral (control) or ventrolateral medulla oblongata 2–4 months pre-SCI, distal end inserted into ipsilateral cervical (C4) cord at SCI	at 4 months post-SCI: electrical stimulation of nerve bridge between ventrolateral medulla and spinal cord evoked phrenic nerve responses, unitary recordings of spontaneous activity in bridge revealed regenerated axons of medullary inspiratory neurons	axon regeneration and target site reinnervation
rat, adult2	upper cervical hemisection	adult rat, eGFP-labeled OEG in matrix implanted into hemisection at SCI	at 2 months post-SCI: respiratory rhythm was in ipsilateral phrenic nerve during spontaneous breathing and asphyxial stress	axon regeneration and/or sprouting of crossed axon pathway and target reinnervation
rat, adult3	cervical (2–3) hemisection	adult rat OEG transplanted into ventral & ventrolateral funiculi rostral & caudal to, at hemisection 15–30 min after SCI	at 3–6 months post-SCI: ipsilateral phrenic nerve & diaphragm electromyographic activities during spontaneous breathing, hypercapnia, upper cervical cord electrical stimulation, and after contralateral upper cervical cord hemisection	axon regeneration and/or sprouting of crossed axon pathway and target reinnervation

¹Gauthier et al. 2002

²Li et al. 2003

³Polentes et al. 2004.