Fig. 6

A schematic diagram depicting a potential mechanism of 3D MSC-mediated repair to ischemic brain injury. Cells in the ischemic brain tissue release damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) such as Sin3A associated protein 130 (SAP130), which bind to DAMP receptors such as Mincle on the surface of microglia, mediating increased production of proinflammatory cytokines by the cells. 3D MSCs exhibit enhanced homing and engraftment into the ischemic brain tissue following systemic administration, where they release mediators that decrease the expression of Mincle in microglia, thus reducing their production of proinflammatory cytokines