TUNEL staining of apoptotic cardiomyocytes in the peri-infarct zone 4 weeks after cell transplantation. (A): Cardiac sections from four rat groups were stained with DAPI (blue) and with TUNEL reagent for apoptosis (red). (B): TUNEL-positive cardiomyocytes were fewest in the SPIOASC-magnet-treated rats (n = 8) compared with the SPIOASC-treated rats (n = 8), the CCM-magnet rats (n = 8), and the CCM control rats (n = 8). Scale bar = 20 μm. #, p > .05 versus the CCM; Δ, p < .05 versus the CCM or CCM-magnet; ∗, p < .05 versus the SPIOASCs, CCM-magnet, or CCM. Abbreviations: CCM, cell culture medium; DAPI, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; SPIOASC, superparamagnetic iron oxide-labeled adipose-derived stem cell; TUNEL, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated digoxigenin-deoxyuridine nick-end labeling.