Roles of ES Cell-Derived Gliogenic Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells in Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury
Figure 5
Transplanted SNS, but not PNS, enhanced angiogenesis after SCI.
(A)(B)(C) Representative images of αSMA-immunostained sections obtained from the control (A), PNS (B), and SNS (C) groups. Scale bar: 500 µm. (D) Higher-magnification image of the area indicated by the arrowhead in C. Scale bar: 20 µm. While a few αSMA-positive Venus-expressing grafted cells were observed at and near the lesion site in sagittal sections of both the control and PNS groups, significantly more αSMA-positive cells were found in the SNS group, with Venus-positive grafted cells accumulated near the αSMA-positive cells, not colocalized with them. (E)(F)(G) Representative images of PECAM-1-immunostained sections obtained from the Control (E), PNS (F), and SNS (G) groups. Scale bar: 200 µm. (H)(I)(J) Higher-magnification images of the boxed areas in E, F, and G. Scale bar: 100 µm. (K)(L)(M) Representative images of axial sections stained for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Scale bar: 100 µm. (N–X) Expression of VEGF in GFAP-positive astrocytes among host-derived cells (N–Q) and Venus-positive (GFP immunostained) graft-derived cells (R–X) in the spinal cord from the SNS group (arrows indicate VEGF/GFAP double-positive cells). SNS transplants promoted VEGF expression in both the host- and graft-derived GFAP-positive astrocytes. Scale bar: 20 µm. (Y) Quantitative analysis of blood vessels at the lesion epicenter. PECAM-1 immunostaining revealed similar results, with significantly more PECAM-1-positive blood vessels observed at the lesion site in the SNS group compared with the PNS and control groups. Values are means ± s.e.m. (n = 3).*: P<0.05, Control vs. SNS. **: P<0.05, PNS vs. SNS. (Z) Quantitative analysis of the VEGF-positive area at the lesion epicenter. The VEGF-positive area at the lesion epicenter was significantly broader in the SNS group than in the other groups. Values are means ± s.e.m. (n = 3).*: P<0.05, Control vs. SNS. **: P<0.05, PNS vs. SNS.