THE USE OF A RETROVIRAL VECTOR TO IDENTIFY FETAL STRIATAL NEURONS TRANSPLANTED INTO THE ADULT STRIATUM

A retrovirus which encodes β-galactosidase was used to infect embryonic rat striatal cells before grafting these cells into the lesioned adult rat striatum. Examination of the grafts after long term survival (8 months) revealed that a few small and large cells expressed large amounts of bacterial β-galactosidase activity. The larger diameter cells were identified as neurones by their size, shape and presence of neuronal processes. The identity of the small diameter cell types was not established. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.