Intravenous Transplantation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduces the Number of Infiltrated Ly6C⁺ Cells but Enhances the Proportions Positive for BDNF, TNF-1α, and IL-1β in the Infarct Cortices of dMCAO Rats

Figure 6

CD68⁺ microglia but not Iba-1⁺ cells express TNF-α in the ischemia ipsilateral hemisphere at day 2. (a–d) Distribution of Iba-1⁺ and TNF-α⁺ cells in the infarct areas after MSC transplantation. (e–h) Distribution of Iba-1⁺ and TNF-α⁺ cells in the striatum after MSC transplantation. (i–l) Distribution of CD68⁺ and TNF-α⁺ cells in the infarct areas after MSC transplantation. (a, e) Iba-1 staining. (i) CD68 staining. (b, f, j) TNF-α. (c, g, k) DAPI nucleus staining. (d) No double-stained Iba-1⁺/TNF-α⁺ cells were found in the infarct area after dMCAO. (h) No Iba-1+/TNF-α cells was found 2 days after MSC transplantation in the striatum. (l) Some CD68⁺ cells in the infarct areas were positive for TNF-α. Arrow: double-labeled cells. Scale bar, 250 μm.