Fig. 2
Exo and MSCs synergistically improved cardiac function and ameliorated fibrosis after AMI. a Schematic of the sequential delivering of Exo followed by MSCs into the infarcted hearts experiment. b Representative echocardiogram of rat hearts in different groups 5 weeks post AMI. c, f Significantly enhanced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), fractional shortening (LVFS), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) in rats co-transplanted with Exo and MSCs compared with AMI, Exo, and MSCs alone groups (n = 6–8 for each group). g Representative transverse heart sections analyzed with Masson trichrome staining at 5 weeks after AMI. Red, myocardium; blue, scarred fibrosis. Scale bar = 2 mm. h Representative Sirius Red staining images for collagen analyze in each group. Scale bar = 2 mm. i, j Quantitative data for the LV fibrotic area and the quantitative data of Masson trichrome staining (i) and Sirius Red staining (j) (n = 6–8 for each group). All data are mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis was performed with two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc test. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001 vs. AMI group; #p < 0.05, ##p < 0.01, ###p < 0.01 vs. Exo group; $p < 0.05, $$p < 0.01, $$$$p < 0.0001 vs. MSC group; &p < 0.05 vs. Exo + MSCd7 group