Figure 3.

(A) RECA-1 and NeuN double-labeled coronal section from a rat subjected to focal cerebral ischemia. (B) Ratio±standard error of the mean (s.e.m.) of small blood vessel branching points between the ipsilateral and contralateral thalamus in ischemic rats (Ischemic, n=13) and sham-operated rats (Sham, n=6). Statistical significance between the ipsilateral and contralateral thalamus; ^***P<0.001. (C) Three-dimensional representation of the actual hits (blood vessel branching points) counted with the fractionators probe. (D–G) Digital photomicrographs demonstrating the distribution and density of blood vessels in the contralateral (D, F) and the ipsilateral (E, G) thalamus 3 months after cerebral ischemia. Please note the parallel increases in the number of vessels and in neuronal loss in the ipsilateral side. The high background staining in the ipsilateral thalamus is due to degenerative processes. Scale bar=100 μm.