Figure 4.

Adipose tissue stromal cell (ATSC) extract down‐regulates indices of apoptosis in spinal cord tissue after traumatic injury. A. The number of Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin‐duTP Nick (TUNEL)‐positive cells detected within the spinal cord of uninjured, normal animals and animals treated with Matrigel or Matrigel + ATSC extracts at 1 week post spinal cord injury (SCI). Data plotted are the averaged percentage of TUNEL‐positive cells ± standard deviation from three microscopic images (100×) per experimental group captured around the lesion site. Fluorescent micrographs of representative spinal cord tissue sections are illustrated for each experimental group. TUNEL‐positive cells are represented as green spots. Scale bar = 20 µm. B. Western blot analysis of spinal cord tissue extracts prepared from uninjured, normal animals or animals subjected to SCI and treated with Matrigel alone or Matrigel + ATSC extract. Levels of PARP protein were quantified by densitometry and normalized to that of Actin. C. Caspase‐3, ‐8 and ‐9 activities measured in extracts of spinal cord tissue prepared at 3 and 7 days post injury. Data are presented as a relative activity (%) against protein‐free blank reaction mixture. Data are plotted as the mean ± standard deviation (*P < 0.05; **P < 0.001).