Fig. 3
From: Engrafted glial progenitor cells yield long-term integration and sensory improvement in aged mice
Engrafted GPC-derived astrocytes (EGFP+) establish endfeet expressing AQP4 and ameliorate AQP4 polarization in the aged neocortex. A Endfeet of engrafted GPC-derived astrocytes arrayed along the blood vessels 12 months after transplantation in the aged neocortex (white arrows in left panel). Higher magnification (outlined by the white dashed box in the left panel) showing endfeet of engrafted GPC-derived astrocytes (white arrows in right panel) wrapping the vessel wall. B Expression of AQP4 (white arrows) distributed on the endfeet of engrafted GPC-derived astrocytes (EGFP+) 12 months after transplantation in the aged neocortex. Higher magnification (outlined by the white dashed box in the left panel) showing the expressions of AQP4 (white arrows) remained on the endfoot membranes of engrafted GPC-derived astrocytes (EGFP+). C In contrast to the well-maintained polarization of AQP4 in adult-control brain (left panel), perivascular AQP4 polarization was lost in the neocortex of aged-control brain (middle panel) but remained in the cortex region transplanted with GPC-derived astrocytes (EGFP+, right panel) of the aged-engrafted brain. D AQP4 immunofluorescence evaluated in linear regions of interest (dashed lines, C) extending outward from vessels. E Bar graph summarizing measurement of perivascular AQP4 expression. Compared with the aged-control brain, perivascular AQP4 expression was increased in surrounding blood vessels of the aged-engrafted brain in the same manner as in adult-control ones (n = 44 vessels from 4 adult-control mice, n = 44 vessels from 4 aged-control mice, n = 41 vessels from 4 aged-engrafted mice; Adult-control versus Aged-control, P = 0.0046; Aged-control versus Aged-engrafted, P = 0.0053; Adult-control versus Aged-engrafted, P = 0.9935; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc comparisons test). All data in the figure are shown as mean ± s.e.m