Fig. 3

HUCDMSCs therapy preserved the podocyte components of glomerulus by day 60 after DKD induction. A–D The immunofluorescent (IF) microscopic finding (200x) for identification of fluorescent intensity of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) (green color). E Analytical result of mean fluorescent intensity ZO-1, * versus other groups with different symbols (†, ‡, §), p < 0.0001. Scale bar in right lower corner represents 50 µm. F–I The IF microscopic finding (200x) for identification of fluorescent intensity of synaptopodin (green color). J Analytical result of mean fluorescent intensity of synaptopodin, * versus other groups with different symbols (†, ‡, §), p < 0.0001. Scale bar in right lower corner represents 20 µm. All statistical analyses were performed by one-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni multiple comparison post hoc test (n = 6 for each group). Symbols (*, †, ‡, §) indicate significance (at 0.05 level). SC = sham-operated control; DKD = diabetic kidney disease; HUCDMSC^Low = human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell of lower dose (2.1 × 10⁵ cells); HUCDMSC^High = human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell of higher dose (6.3 × 10⁵ cells)