In recent days a man who was paralyzed and unable to walk since 2010 has received a transplant of olfactory cells from his nose into his spine. Almost unbelievably, it appears the regenerative cells of the nose which give us our sense of smell are able to adapt to function like spinal cells, transmitting feeling to the legs and feet. Darek Fidyka, whose spinal cord was cut completely after a knife attack by his ex‑wife’s husband, had agreed to receive a transplant of cells taken from the nose. These particular cells, called olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), are known to influence the regrowth of olfactory nerves, which transport smells to the brain and regenerate every 30 days. In experiments on rats and dogs, OECs had shown promise as a “bridge” that could be used to reconnect severed nerves; previously paralysed animals regained the ability to move. Various teams of scientists around the world were racing to apply the technique in humans. But Fidyka’s surgeon in Poland was forced to take a particularly daring approach; Fidyka’s mucus membrane, ravaged by chronic allergic sinusitis, meant that OECs could not be harvested from the nasal passages.Telegraph
