. 2011 Aug 23;2(3):279–293. doi: 10.1007/s12975-011-0101-5

Table 1.

Criteria for histological evaluation of ovine brain specimen in hematoxylin–eosine and Picrosirius red staining

		Degree of alteration (score points)
Aspect	Staining	No pathology (0)	Mild (1)	Moderate (2)	Severe (3)
		Leptomeninx
Proliferation of connective tissue	HE	No or very few (0–4)^a fibroblasts	Few (5–9)^a fibroblasts	Moderate numbers (10–50)^a of fibroblasts, collagen fibres in subarachnoidal space	Many (>50)^a fibroblasts, subarachnoidal space and pia mater cannot be discriminated
Proliferation of connective tissue	PsR	No or very few (0–4)^a fibroblasts	Few (5–9)^a fibroblasts
Infiltration with lymphocytes and plasma cells	HE	None	Focally few (<10)^a cells	Multifocally moderate (10–50)^a numbers of cells	Multifocally many (>50)^a cells or diffuse infiltration
		Central zone (necrosis)
Proliferation of connective tissue	HE	No or very few (0–4)^a fibroblasts	Few (4–9)^a fibroblasts, scattered collagen fibres	Moderate numbers (10–50)^a of fibroblasts, multifocally dense collagen fibres	Many (>50)^a fibroblasts, pia mater and collagen fibres in the necrotic area cannot be discriminated
Proliferation of connective tissue	PsR	No or very few (0–4)^a fibroblasts	Few (4–9)^a fibroblasts, scattered collagen fibres
Infiltration with lymphocytes and plasma cells	HE	None	Focally few (<10)^a cells	Multifocally moderate (10–50)^a numbers of cells	Multifocally many (>50)^a cells or diffuse infiltration
Blood vessel density	HE	No blood vessels	Low density of blood vessels (<10)^a	Moderate density of blood vessels (10–30)^a	High density of blood vessels (>30)^a
		Reactive and remote zone, contralateral hemisphere
Cytolytic neuronal alterations^b	HE	None	Few (<10%)^a	Moderate (10–30%)^a	Many (>30%)^a
Spheroids^c	HE	None	Few (1–4)^a	Moderate (5–20)^a	Many (>20)^a
Blood vessel density^c,d	HE	Not increased^d	Slightly increased^d (+10% or less)^a	Moderately increased^d (+10 to +30%)^a	Massively increased^d (+30% or more)^a
Perivascular infiltration with lymphocytes and plasma cells^c	HE	None	Focally few (1–4)^a cells	Multifocally moderate (5–20)^a numbers of cells	Multifocally many (>20)^a cells or diffuse infiltration
Microglial recruitment	HE	Not relevantly increased^e (<20)^a	Slightly increased^e (20–30)^a	Moderately increased^e (30–60)^a	Massively increased^e (>60)^a

^aRefers to microscopic field of view at ×10 magnification

^bGrey matter only

^cGrey and white matter

^dRefers to corresponding area in contralateral hemisphere

^eRefers to corresponding area in contralateral hemisphere of non-stroked (sham) animals