Fig. 5: Transplantation of TPBG⁺ vmDA precursors into rodent PD models.

a At 16 weeks after transplantation, the TPBG⁺ vmDA precursor grafts within the host striatum were visualized by hNCAM staining. b Graft volume of each group (unsorted, TPBG⁺, and TPBG⁻) based on immunostaining for hNCAM normalized to 100,000 grafted cells. c DA density in grafts from each group (TH⁺ cells/mm³). d–g Expression of hNCAM (green), Ki67 (red), TH (red), NURR1 (red), and PITX3 (red) in grafts containing TPBG⁺ cells at 16 weeks after transplantation. DAPI (blue) was used as a counterstain. Quantification of Ki67⁺, TH⁺, NURR1⁺, and PITX3⁺ cells in the grafts containing unsorted cells (n = 3), eGFP⁺ cells (LMX1A⁺ cells; n = 3), eGFP⁻ cells (LMX1A⁻ cells; n = 4), TPBG⁺ cells (n = 4), and TPBG⁻ cells (n = 4) at 16 weeks. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s multiple-comparison tests. h Amphetamine-induced rotation tests (Non-PD group, n = 3, vehicle, n = 6; unsorted, n = 3; eGFP⁺, n = 6; eGFP⁻, n = 4; TPBG⁺, n = 4; TPBG⁻, n = 4) one week before (left panel) and 16 weeks after (right panel) cell transplantation. **p < 0.01, unpaired Student’s t-tests. Data are shown as mean ± SD. Scale bar, 25 µm (d–g).