Fig. 1

bmMDEs ameliorate islet functions in T2DM rats. a Transmission electron microscopic images of bmMDEs (scale bar 50 nm). b Nano-sight tracking analysis was used to measure the size distribution and concentration of bmMDEs. c Western blotting was performed to detect protein markers (CD9, TSG101) of bmMDEs and protein markers (Calnexin) of cells. d Representative IVIS images of rats at 24 h after tail-vein injection with either PBS (left) or Cy7-bmMDEs (10 mg/kg, right). e Representative IVIS images of organs (heart, lung, liver, pancreas, spleen, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract) from rats (left: PBS, right: Cy7-bmMDEs). Blood glucose after 3 h starved (f) and body weight (g) in control + PBS, T2DM + PBS, T2DM + bmMSC, and T2DM + bmMDE rats. IPGTT (h) and IPITT (i) were performed after the last intervention of bmMDEs. j Fasting serum insulin of control + PBS, T2DM + PBS, and T2DM + bmMDEs rats as indicated. k Representative sections of pancreases stained with insulin and glucagon (scale bar 20 μm). l The quantification of Insulin⁺ cells per islet is shown as mean ± SEM of 3 to 5 rats per group, or 4–5 pancreas sections per rat for 15–20 islets. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM (n=7). ^∗P < 0.05, ^∗∗P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001 (compared with the control group); ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01, ^###P < 0.001 (compared with the T2DM group)