臍帶血（UCB）長期以來一直用於治療造血障礙。臍血細胞庫已經有臍血細胞可供使用，找到免疫相容臍血單位的概率較高。臍血安全和有效，從1993年到2006年，全世界已進行逾8000例供體無關臍帶血移植手術。

 

動物研究表明，脊髓損傷後不久即進行臍血細胞移植是有益的。

• 小鼠ALS模型[14]和大鼠脊髓損傷模型[15]中靜脈輸注人類臍帶血可改善功能；
• 在不同的大鼠脊髓損傷模型[15-16]和狗脊髓損傷模型[17]在脊髓內移植人CD34+臍血細胞可促進恢復； 
• 在脊髓內移植人CD34+臍血細胞再加上BDNF可促進受損大鼠脊髓的恢復[18]。

一些研究人員已經報道人類臍帶血（hUCB）可分化成少突膠質細胞和神經元，並促進功能性神經恢復，強烈提示人類臍血作為潛在的脊髓損傷干預治療的可行性和有效性。

最近的研究[19]發現，在體外和體內鋰都能強烈刺激臍血單個核細胞增殖，並分泌神經營養因子。這表明，臍帶血細胞移植加鋰聯合治療在恢復脊髓損傷的功能方面可能較單一治療更有效。

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