human fetal striatal cells

Human fetal striatal cells refer to an investigational cell-based therapy consisting of primary neuronal precursor cells harvested from the ganglionic eminence of human fetuses, typically between 7 and 12 weeks of gestation. This therapeutic approach is specifically designed to treat Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative condition characterized by the selective loss of GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum. The transplanted cells, containing neuroblasts and progenitors, are surgically grafted into the patient's striatum with the goal of differentiating into functional MSNs, integrating into existing host neural circuits, and restoring lost motor and cognitive functions. In addition to structural replacement, these cells are thought to provide neurotrophic support by secreting factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which may help protect remaining host neurons. Clinical development has been primarily driven by academic and hospital-led consortia, such as the Network of European CNS Transplantation and Restoration (NEST) and INSERM, with several Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials (e.g., MIG-HD) demonstrating long-term survival of the grafts and variable symptomatic benefits.

Other names

fetal striatal tissuefetal striatal graftshuman fetal striatal tissuefetal striatal neuroblastshuman fetal striatal precursor cells