BACKGROUND: Animal experiments have confirmed that bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) transplantation can serve as a treatment for epilepsy.OBJECTIVE: BMSCs derived from green fluorescent protein (GFP) mice were transplanted into the hippocampal CA1 region of epileptic rats. The aim of the study was to record electroencephalogram (EEG), analyze survival and migration of BMSCs, and validate the effect of BMSC transplantation for the treatment of epilepsy.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A randomized block design experiment was performed at the Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical College from March 200.5 to February 2006.MATERIALS: Homozygous C57BL/6CrSIcTgN (acr-EGFP) OsbC 14-Y01 -FM 131 mice, 8-12 weeks of age, were selected for preparation of cell suspension. Sprague Dawley rats were selected for establishing epilepsy models.METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control (n = 8), model (n = 8), normal saline (n = 24), and BMSC (n = 24). In the model, normal saline, and BMSC groups, epilepsy was established with penicillin (3×107 U/kg i.p. ×7 days). Rats in the BMSC group received a BMSC suspension derived fromgreen fluorescent protein mice into the right hippocampal CA1 region. Rats in the vehicle control group were injected with the same volume of normal saline into the hippocampal CA1 region.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The electroencephalogram was used to monitor brain activity. Survival and migration of the transplanted BMSCs was observed using fluorescence microscopy at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after transplantation.RESULTS: In BMSC group, fluorescent cells were observed at the transplantation site and in the adjacent tissue, as well as in the tissue surrounding the needle tract, indicating the migration of implanted cells. Fluorescent cells were not detected in the vehicle control group. The electroencephalogram of the control animals exhibited 7-9 Hz α waves, with a wave amplitude < 50 μ V. In the model and vehicle control groups, random spike-and-wave discharges of the sharp spike-sharp low wave type were observed. EEG amplitudes were significantly smaller in the BMSC group, compared with the model and vehicle control groups.CONCLUSION: Following transplantation, BMSCs survived and migrated to the injury region of the epileptic rat brain and alleviated epileptic .seizures.