Figure 4.

MSCs preserve axonal length and increase survival in rat cortical neurons exposed to NO. Cortical neurons were exposed to MIN with NO alone (MIN + NO) or with the addition of MSCs in a transwell coculture system (MIN + NO + MSC) for 24 hr. A: Cultures were stained for the nuclear marker DAPI (blue) and the panaxonal NF marker SMI312 (green) or NF 70 kD (green). Axonal length was measured by SMI312 (B) and NF 70 kD (C) labeling per culture field, and viable neurons (D) were counted by using the nuclear marker DAPI. Results are mean ± SE (n = 4). *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001. Scale bar = 100 µm. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]