Figure 4.

NGF increases the number of circulating EPCs in MCAO rats. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stained with anti-rat CD34-PE and anti-rat KDR-FITC, and double immunofluorescence staining of peripheral blood CD34⁺/KDR⁺ cells was used to identify EPCs. Representative images of the number of circulating EPCs measured by flow cytometry in the vehicle group (A), NGF group (B), and NGF + LY294002 group (C). Quantification of circulating EPCs in the peri-infarct region on day 4 after MCAO for each group (D). *P < 0.05 versus vehicle group, and #P < 0.05 versus NGF group.