Figure 2.

Astrocytes promote neuronal differentiation of transplanted NSCs in MCAO rats. (A) On day 14 after cell transplantation, transplanted NSCs could differentiate into Dcx, βIII-Tubulin (Tuj), NeuN, GFAP and Oli positive cells. (B) GFP⁺ NeuN⁺ BrdU⁺ cells were observed 14 days after cell transplantation. (C) Quantitative analysis showed the proportion of GFP⁺NeuN⁺ cells to GFP⁺ cells was significantly higher in the NSC+AS group compared with the NSC alone group; **P<0.01. (D) The percentage of GFP⁺NeuN⁺BrdU⁺ cells in the population of GFP⁺BrdU⁺ cells was significantly higher in the brains of rats subjected to co-transplantation compared with those receiving NSCs alone; *P<0.05. Scale bars, 100 µm. Dcx, doublecourtin; GFP, green fluorescent protein; Hoe, Hoechst 33342; NeuN, neuronal nuclei; GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein; Oli, oligodendrocyte; BrdU, bromodeoxyuridine.