Figure 4.

CPTX-NS/PCs transplantation promotes synapse formation

(A) Representative images of the human-specific synaptophysin⁺ area at the epicenter, at site 4 mm rostral and caudal, and at site 8 mm caudal from the NS/PCs-transplanted rats’ spinal cords at 14 weeks after SCI, with or without lentivirus-induced CPTX gene. Scale bars: 1 mm.

(B) Quantitative analysis of the human-specific synaptophysin (SYP)⁺ area in the axial section (control group n = 7, CPTX group n = 8), (rostral 4 mm p = 0.28, epicenter p = 0.045, caudal 4 mm p = 0.35, caudal 8 mm p = 0.72).

(C) Representative images of VGlut2⁺ (excitatory presynaptic marker) area at the center of transplantation. Scale bars: 100 μm.

(D) Quantitative analysis of VGlut2⁺ area in axial section (control group n = 7, CPTX group n = 9, p = 0.00006).

(E) Representative images of PSD95⁺ area around CPTX-expressing cells in axial section. Scale bars: 100 μm.

(F) Quantitative analysis of PSD95⁺ is in the axial section (n = 10 slices each from 5 rats, p = 0.0005).

(G and H) Representative images of axial section stained for PSD95, SYP, and His-tag with Hoechst. Magnified image of contact with SYP (presynaptic marker) and PSD95 (postsynaptic marker). Scale bars: 50 μm (G) and 10 μm (H).

(I) Quantitative analysis of the fraction of PSD95⁺/SYP⁺-double-positive puncta (n = 10 slices each from 5 rats, p = 0.0001). Values are the mean ± SEM. ^∗p < 0.05; ^∗∗p < 0.01.

Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test in (B), (D), (F), and (I).