Olfactory ensheathing cell–neurite alignment enhances neurite outgrowth in scar-like cultures

• We test how OECs promote neurite outgrowth in an inhibitory scar-like culture model.
• Fibroblast zones are more growth-inhibitory than astrocyte zones.
• Mean neurite length on reactive astrocytes is 2-fold greater when aligned with OECs.
• Neurite–OEC alignment enhanced outgrowth 3-fold on meningeal fibroblasts.
• OECs have a direct contact-dependent, growth-promoting effect on cortical neurites.

The regenerative capacity of adult CNS neurons after injury is strongly inhibited by the spinal cord lesion site environment that is composed primarily of the reactive astroglial scar and invading meningeal fibroblasts. Olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplantation facilitates neuronal survival and functional recovery after a complete spinal cord transection, yet the mechanisms by which this recovery occurs remain unclear. We used a unique multicellular scar-like culture model to test if OECs promote neurite outgrowth in growth-inhibitory areas. Astrocytes were mechanically injured and challenged by meningeal fibroblasts to produce key inhibitory elements of a spinal cord lesion. Neurite outgrowth of postnatal cerebral cortical neurons was assessed on three substrates: quiescent astrocyte control cultures, reactive astrocyte scar-like cultures, and scar-like cultures with OECs. Initial results showed that OECs enhanced total neurite outgrowth of cortical neurons in a scar-like environment by 60%. We then asked if the neurite growth-promoting properties of OECs depended on direct alignment between neuronal and OEC processes. Neurites that aligned with OECs were nearly three times longer when they grew on inhibitory meningeal fibroblast areas and twice as long on reactive astrocyte zones compared to neurites not associated with OECs. Our results show that OECs can independently enhance neurite elongation and that direct OEC–neurite cell contact can provide a permissive substrate that overcomes the inhibitory nature of the reactive astrocyte scar border and the fibroblast-rich spinal cord lesion core.