Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Alleviate Radiation-Induced Muscular Fibrosis by Suppressing the Expression of TGF-β1

Figure 4

Observation of fibrosis in collagen at different time points after irradiation with Masson staining (×200). Slight swelling of muscle cells was noted in PBS group (a) and ASCs group (b), and little collagen proliferation was observed between muscle cells at 1 w after irradiation; the swelling of muscle cells and collagen proliferation in PBS group (c) were more severe than those of ASCs group (d) at 4 w after irradiation; the denaturation, necrosis of muscle cells, and collagen proliferation in PBS group (e) showed significant increase compared with those in ASCs group (f) at 8 w after irradiation; significant increase of necrotic muscle cells was noted in PBS group (g) in comparison with ASCs group (h) at 26 w after irradiation. Meanwhile, residual skeletal muscle cells were observed in the proliferative collagen in both groups.

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