Fig. 5

Destiny of GFP-positive cells. Cryostat serial sections. Toluidine blue staining (left column) and merged images of double labeling with α-SMA and GFP (right column) of MSC-treated (a, b) and MNC-treated (c–f) rats. (a, b) The lesion is almost repaired in MSC-treated rats. Smooth muscle cells in the muscular layer (M) and in the muscularis mucosae (mm) are α-SMA positive (red). Clusters of GFP-positive cells (green) are visible under the epithelium. (c, d) A cluster of GFP-positive cells is still present inside the gap of a small not yet repaired area in a MNC-treated rat. (e, f) GFP-positive cells are present around a suture thread (arrowheads, yellow due to autofluorescence) in a MNC-treated rat. Original magnification × 10