Figure 4.

Graphs showing nestin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining intensity of immunohistochemistry images throughout the neuroaxis in thoracic spinal cord injury rats.

(A) Mean gray scale value (GSV) of nestin staining intensity shows no significant difference at the third ventricle. (B–F) In the injury group, the mean GSV of nestin staining intensity was high at the central canal (CC) at all vertebral levels. (J) Mean GSV of GFAP staining intensity was increased in several locations at the epicenter of the lesion site. (K) Mean GSV was slightly increased in GFAP staining at the central canal 2.25 mm caudal to the epicenter. (G–I) No significant difference was found at any regions of the third ventricle, the cervical enlargement and 2.25 mm rostral to the epicenter. (L) No significant difference in GFAP staining was found at the lumbar enlargement. For the normal and sham-operated spinal cords, the posterior median septum (PMS) and dorsal grey matter (DGM) were used to compare nestin and GFAP staining intensity in the SCI group at the lesion center (LC) and lesion edge (LE) respectively. Bonferroni post-hoc test was used to determine significant differences in nestin and GFAP staining intensity. Error bars represent standard deviation (**P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001).