Figure 2. The expression of thrombin was increased in the ischemic regions of MCAO rats.
(A–B) The immunoreactivity of thrombin in the cortex and striatum of ischemic brain tissue. Scale bar = 100 μm. Significant thrombin antigen was found in regions of the ipsilateral hemisphere striatum. (C) Double staining examining the colocalization of thrombin with FITC-dextran staining in the striatum and cortex. Scale bar = 50 μm. (D) Significant FITC-dextran leakage present in the ipsilateral hemisphere striatum. (E) Significant amounts of thrombin were expressed in areas with severe FITC-dextran leakage regions. (F) Double staining examining the colocalization of thrombin with MAP-2-positive neurons. Scale bar = 50 μm. Immunohistochemistry with an anti-thrombin antibody and a neuronal marker anti-MAP-2 antibody revealed thrombin expression mostly in ischemic neurons. The white arrow indicates the colocalization of thrombin staining with FITC-dextran or neurons. ***P < 0.001, n = 6–8.