Figure 9.

Study design schematic. (A) Timeline for experiment #1 (C57VCI). L indicates left and R indicates the right hemisphere of the mouse brain. A picture taken during the surgical process (upper left inset). An ameroid constrictor with an inner diameter of 0.5 mm and microcoil with an inner diameter of 0.18 mm are applied to the right and left common carotid arteries (CCAs), respectively. The lumen or inner material of the ameroid constrictor gradually narrows and by 3 weeks reaches near occlusion (indicated as solid black arrowhead). The dotted arrows on the coronal section of the mouse brain indicate the location where MEM or MSCs have been injected. (B) Timeline for experiment #2 (5xVCI). A picture taken during the surgical process (upper left inset). Ameroid constrictors with an inner diameter of 0.75 mm are bilaterally wrapped around the CCAs. The dotted arrows on the coronal section of the mouse brain indicate the location where MEM or MSCs have been injected. The lumen or inner material of the ameroid constrictor gradually narrows, and by 8 weeks or 2 months after surgery, the opening is closed but complete occlusion is not achieved. D* = dexamethasone (oral administration, 1 mg/kg).