Fig. 1.

Rats desensitised with hESC-derived cells as neonates accept xenografts at a level comparable to CsA treated hosts.

(A–G) Characterisation of the survival and immune response in the brain of CsA treated rats (CsA H9; n = 7), (H–N) neonatal desensitised rats engrafted as adults with identical tissue (Des H9; n = 8) and (O–U, W) desensitised rats engrafted with hiNs (Des hfl-iN; n = 2). Graft survival (A–B, H–I, O–P) and fibre innervation (B, I) of transplants from each group were analysed using a specific marker for human NCAM. Inflammation and immune responses were assessed using the following markers respectively: microglia (Ox42: C, J, Q), T-helper cells (CD4: D, K, R), T-cells (E, L, S), MHC-class II (Ox6: F, M, T) and MHC-class I (Ox18: G, N, U). Graft sizes were not different between the CsA control group and the neonatal desensitised rats (V). Optical density analysis for Ox42 positive microglia staining revealed increased staining intensity in the rejection group (*** = p < 0.001). Representative overview of the transplant and innervation of an H9-hESC graft in a desensitised host (X). Scalebars A, H, O = 500 μM; B, I, P = 100 μM; C–G, J–N, Q–U = 250 μM; and X = 2000 μM. Data represent mean ± SEM. mean ± SEM.