Fig 4. Attenuation of reactive gliosis does not alter numbers or activation of microglia/macrophages and the number of astrocytes in the region of the transplant after dMCAO.

(A-B) Representative images of microglia/macrophage activation via ED1 (yellow) and Iba1 (red) staining, around the transplant (GFP⁺ cells, green) in WT (A) and KO (B) mice. Scale bar = 50μm. (C-D) Representative confocal images of a transplant in WT and GFAP^-/-Vim^-/- mice at nine weeks after dMCAO showing the transplanted cells (GFP⁺ cells, green) and astrocytes stained for S100β (yellow) and GFAP (red). Scale bar = 100 μm. (E-G) Total number of microglia/macrophages (Iba1⁺ cells, E) and number (ED1⁺/Iba1⁺ cells, F) and percentage (ED1⁺/Iba1⁺ cells of total number of Iba1⁺ cells, G) activated microglia in the area inside and around the transplant in WT (n = 9) and GFAP^-/-Vim^-/- (n = 4) mice. Means ± SEM. KO = GFAP^-/-Vim^-/- mice. (H-J) Quantification of astrocytes in the area of the transplant (including the area 100 μm from the transplant) expressed as number of S100β⁺ cells per mm² (H) and the relative S100β⁺ area around (I) and inside (J) the transplant (GFP⁺ cells, green) (WT n = 8; GFAP^-/-Vim^-/- n = 5). Means ± SEM. KO = GFAP^-/-Vim^-/- mice.