Fig. 4: PSMM scaffolds enhance the survival and differentiation of transplanted NPCs in stroke rats.

A Schematic of experimental timeline and brain region selection for analyses after ischemic stroke. B Overview of a brain section showing the ipsilateral region of dMCAO and transplanted GFP-NPCs (green). The dish line marks the boundary of the stroke cavity, and the asterisk indicates the stroke cavity. Experiment was independently repeated three times with similar results. C Quantitative results of GFP⁺ cell numbers on Days 1, 7, 14, and 28 post-transplantations. D Representative florescence micrographs presenting GFP-NPC (green) and TUNEL (red) in ischemic cores on Day 1 after transplantation. And the corresponding quantitative results of TUNEL⁺ cell percentages. E Representative florescence micrographs showing GFP-NPC (green), Ki67 (red), and CD31 (light blue) in ischemic cores on Day 14 after transplantation, with corresponding quantitative results of CD31⁺/Ki67⁺ cell numbers and CD31⁺/Ki67⁺ co-localization. F Representative florescence micrographs presenting GFP-NPC (green), Nestin (red), and DCX (gray) in ischemic cores on Days 1, 7, and 14 after transplantation. And the corresponding quantitative results of DCX⁺ percentages on Days 1, 7, and 14 after transplantation. G Representative florescence micrographs of GFP-NPC (green) and NeuN (red), S100β (red), or NG2 (red) and APC (gray) in ischemic cores on Day 28 after transplantation of PSMM group. Arrows indicating NeuN⁺, S100β⁺, or NG2⁺ and GFP⁺ cells. Experiment was independently repeated three times with similar results. Scale bars, B, 500 μm; D–G, 100 μm. Data are mean values ± SDs. C, n = 3 mice; two-way ANOVA; D, n = 3 mice, one-way ANOVA; E, n = 3 mice, one-way ANOVA; F, n = 3 mice, one-way ANOVA. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.