Figure 6.

Stroke differentially affects the expression of basal lamina proteins in the neonatal and adult brain. A–E, Immunofluorescence of the brain vasculature (RECA-1, green) showing higher vascular density in the contralateral caudate of adults compared to neonates (C vs A; E) 24 h after stroke. Vascular density was unaffected by stroke at both ages in the ipsilateral injured caudate (B vs A; D vs C; E). Data are expressed as percentage of the total sampled brain volume in three different Z-stacks per brain and region. F, G, The size distribution of RECA-1 vessels in the adult (F) and the neonate (G). H--L. Immunofluorescence of Col-IV (red) showing increased coverage of brain vessels (expressed as the ratio between Col-IV and RECA-1 volume densities) in the contralateral neonatal brain compared to the adult brain (H vs J; L). Coverage of brain vessels by Col-IV increased in the injured caudate of adults (K vs J; L), but remained unchanged in neonates (I vs H; L). M, N, The distribution of Col-IV/RECA-1 positive vessels in the adult (M) and the neonate (N). Note preferential loss of Col-IV coverage of smaller size vessels in the adult but mostly unaffected coverage in injured neonatal brain. *p < 0.05 for same size vessels in ipsilateral versus contralateral hemisphere. O, R, Immunofluorescence of the basal lamina protein laminin (red) showing increased coverage of brain vessels (expressed as the ratio between laminin and RECA-1 volume densities) in the contralateral neonatal brain compared to the adult brain (O vs Q; S). Coverage of brain vessels by laminin was not significantly affected after MCAO (P vs O; R vs Q; S).