Neuronal apoptosis in the facial nerve nucleus after cell transplantation. A) FNA rats were transplanted with BMSCs and monocytes, either single culture or co-culture; the neuronal apoptosis in the facial nerve nucleus was detected with TUNEL staining, at indicated time points after cell transplantation. B) Statistical analysis of apoptotic neurons in the facial nerve nucleus. C) The expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in the facial nerve nucleus were detected with the Western blot analysis, at indicated time points after cell transplantation. D,E) Statistical analysis of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 expression levels in the facial nerve nucleus. NS, positive control group; BMSCs, transplanted with SPIO-GFP-BMSCs alone; co-transplantation group 1, co-transplanted with SPIO-GFP-BMSCs and monocytes at the ratio of 30:1; monocytes, transplanted with monocytes alone; and co-transplantation group 2, co-transplanted with SPIO-GFP-BMSCs and monocytes at the ratio of 1:30. Error bars denote SD.