Photobiomodulation Can Enhance Stem Cell Viability in Cochlea with Auditory Neuropathy but Does Not Restore Hearing

Figure 7

Characterization of the transplanted ESCs in cochlea after 2 weeks of combination treatment. (a) Glial cell expression. Staining of the glial cell marker GFAP was demonstrated after combination therapy. In Rosenthal’s canal, only the deformed KM-SC-PBM showed GFAP expression. In the modiolus, GFAP was expressed in all treated groups, and the KM-SC and KM-SC-PBM groups showed increased expression compared to the KM only group, but the deformed KM-SC-PBM group had rather decreased expression. (b) Quantitative analysis of GFAP-positive cells at 2 weeks after combination therapy. In Rosenthal’s canal, only the deformed KM-SC-PBM showed increase in GFAP-positive cells compared to the other groups. However, the deformed KM-SC-PBM modiolus had decreased in the number of GFAP-positive cells. (c) Neuronal precursor cell expression. Staining of the neuronal precursor marker Nestin was demonstrated after combination therapy. In both Rosenthal’s canal and modiolus, only the deformed KM-SC-PBM showed Nestin expression. (d) Quantitative analysis showed only the deformed KM-SC-PBM showed increase in Nestin-positive cells compared to other groups. . Scale bar = (a) 20 µM and (c) 100 µM.

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