Fig. 3

Effects of BMSC transplantation and EA on the release of endometrial surface chemokines. a Fluorescence microscopy was used to detect CM-Dil-positive BMSCs in the uterus of a thin endometrial rat model (× 200), n = 5 per group. b The histogram shows the number of positive cells per unit area of the endometrium. c The expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) protein in each group was detected by western blotting. The histogram shows the relative ratio of the expression level of the target protein to that of an internal reference. d SDF-1 mRNA expression in each group was detected by qRT-PCR. R-actin served as an internal reference for the qRT-PCR. e The expression of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) protein in each group was detected by western blotting. The histogram shows the relative ratio of the expression level of the target protein to that of an internal reference. f CXCR4 mRNA expression in each group was detected by qRT-PCR. R-actin served as an internal reference for the qRT-PCR. Bars represent the mean ± standard error (SEM); n = 5 per group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01