Fig. 9

Inflammatory cell expressions in brain infarct zone at day 60 after acute IS. a–g Illustrating the immunofluorescent (IF) microscopic finding (× 400) for identification of positively stained glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) cells (green color). Red color in c to g indicates the dye-stained implanted ECPs. h Analytical result of number of GFAP+ cells, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001 vs. IS. i–o Illustrating the IF microscopic finding (× 400) for identification of microglia+ cells (green color). Red color in c to g indicates the dye-stained implanted ECPs. p Analytical result of number of microglial cells, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001 vs. IS. Scale bars in the lower right corner represent 20 μm. All statistical analyses were performed by one-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni multiple-comparison post hoc test (n = 6 for each group). LCCA = left common carotid artery. SC = sham-operated control; IS = ischemic stroke (IS); EPC^3h = EPC administration from LCCA at 3 h after acute IS; EPC^3d = EPC administration from LCCA at day 3 after acute IS; EPC^7d = EPC administration from LCCA at day 7 after acute IS; EPC^14d = EPC administration from LCCA at day 14 after acute IS; EPC^28d = EPC administration from LCCA at day 28 after acute IS