Fig. 4

The cell culture assay for NPCs. a Proliferation of embryonic NPCs was enhanced after incubation with 2 μg/ml CCL11 at 3 days post-treatment. Other CC chemokines neither formed the neurospheres nor enhanced NSC proliferation. The data are presented as the mean absorbance of three replicates ± S.D. ^** P < 0.01. b The concentration-dependent effect of CCL11 on NPC proliferation. High concentration of CCL11 (2 μg/ml, 5 μg/ml) promoted NPC proliferation. ^** P < 0.01 vs control (PBS). c NPCs treated with 2 μg/ml CCL11 formed neurospheres at 3 days post-treatment. Scale bar = 50 μm. d CCL11 (2 μg/ml) enhanced proliferation of infant NPCs derived from both injury and intact sides of the mouse brain. The data are presented as the mean absorbance of three replicates ± S.D. ^* P < 0.05. e, f The CCR3 receptor antagonist SB 297006 blocked the CCL11-induced NPC proliferation and neurosphere formation. Scale bar = 50 μm. ^* P < 0.05, ^** P < 0.01. g Merged image of double immunostaining of Dcx and CCR3 for embryonic NPCs. Green: Dcx; red: CCR3, blue: DAPI. Scale bar = 30 μm. h RT-PCR analysis of CCR3 expression in NPCs. CCR3 are expressed in embryonic and infant NPCs