Intravenous Transplantation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduces the Number of Infiltrated Ly6C⁺ Cells but Enhances the Proportions Positive for BDNF, TNF-1α, and IL-1β in the Infarct Cortices of dMCAO Rats

Figure 2

Few Ly6C⁺ cells are double-stained with Iba-1 in the ischemia core cortex at day 2. (a–d) Distribution of Ly6C⁺ and Iba-1⁺ cells in the infarct areas. (e–h) Distribution of Ly6C⁺ and Iba-1⁺ cells in the peri-infarct area of the ipsilateral cortex. (i–l) Distribution of Ly6C⁺ and Iba-1⁺ cells in the ipsilateral striatum and corpus callosum. (a, e, i) Ly6C staining. (b, f, j) Iba-1. (c, g, k) DAPI nucleus staining. (d, h, l) Double-stained Ly6C⁺/Iba-1⁺ cells. (d) Ly6C⁺/Iba-1⁺ cells scattered in the infarct area (right square) and the inner infarct boundary zone (left square). (h) Very few Ly6C⁺ cells were found in the ipsilateral peri-infarct area (to the left of the dashed line). (l) Very few Ly6C⁺ cells were found in the ipsilateral striatum (to the left of the dashed line) and corpus callosum (to the right of the dashed line), and no double stained Ly6C⁺/Iba-1⁺ cells were spotted in the striatum or corpus callosum. Arrow: double-labeled cells. Scale bar, 50 μm. (m) (left square in (d)): in the inner infarct boundary zone, 30–40% of Ly6C⁺ cells were Iba-1-positive. (n) (right square in (d)): in the infarct area, 20–30% of Ly6C⁺ cells were Iba-1-positive. (o, p) (squares in (h) and (l)): very few or no double-stained Ly6C⁺/Iba-1⁺ cells was spotted in the striatum or corpus callosum. Scale bar: (a–l) 250 μm and (m–p) 50 μm.