Fig. 1

Characterization of diabetes mellitus (DM) stage and DR development prior to MSC administration. C57BL/6 adult male mice were injected either with 0.1 M citrate buffer (Normal mice) or 200 mg/kg STZ in 0.1 M citrate buffer (DM mice). a Blood glucose level was determined weekly in venous blood samples obtained from alert non-fasted animals. b Insulinemia and c glycated hemoglobin levels were determined 12 weeks after SZT administration. Retinal histology was analyzed 12 weeks after SZT administration in serial 4-μm eye sections, immunolabeled with β3-tubulin antibody (marker of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs)). d Samples were observed under confocal microscopy focusing on the ganglion cell layer of the retina (arrows). e RGCs in the ganglion cell layer of the retina were quantified. f Representative ERG showing a characteristic decreases in a-wave and b-wave in DM mice in comparison to normal mice using a stimulus of 0.01 cd · s · m^–2. Black line, normal mice; blue line, DM mice. The amplitudes of a-waves and b-waves recorded under scotopic conditions using stimuli of g 0.01 cd · s · m^–2 or h 3.0 cd · s · m^–2 were quantified. Qualitative data are representative of eight eyes per group. Quantitative data correspond to mean ± SEM of eight eyes per group