Multimodal Therapeutic Effects of Neural Precursor Cells Derived from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells through Episomal Plasmid-Based Reprogramming in a Rodent Model of Ischemic Stroke

Figure 4

Functional connectivity of grafted ep-iPSC-NPCs with host brain in MCAo rats. (a) Double immunofluorescence staining of fluorogold (FG) in the ep-iPSC-NPC-transplanted brain. A human-specific marker (human-specific nuclei (hNu)) was used to detect grafted cells. Merged cells suggested that grafted cells connected with host tissue. (b) Double immunofluorescence staining of SVP-38, a synaptic vesicle marker, in the ep-iPSC-NPC-transplanted brain. A human-specific marker (human mitochondria (hMito)) was used to detect grafted cells. All samples were counterstained with DAPI. Scale bars: 50 μm. (c) Motor-evoked potentials (MEP) of paretic limbs in rats of the ep-iPSC-NPC, fibroblast, and vehicle groups ( in each group). Data are shown as (SEM), by one-way ANOVA. ep-iPSC-NPCs: neural precursor cells differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells; MCAo: middle cerebral artery occlusion; SVP: synaptophysin.

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