Fig. 1

Experimental protocol of this study and illustration of ischemic lesion. a Study design for vehicle group (n = 9) and SB623 group (n = 9). b Study design for Ex group (n = 8) and SB623 + Ex group (n = 9). The Ex group and the SB623 + Ex group trained in a cage with RW from 7 days before MCAO and continued for 21 days. All rats were performed right MCAO. At day 1 after MCAO, all rats which were diagnosed with ischemic stroke by behavioral test were stereotactically transplanted with DMEM or SB623 cells into the right striatum. At day 15 after MCAO, all rats were euthanized, followed by histological analysis and assessment of the mRNA expression of BDNF and VEGF in the IBZ via quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. c A coronal section identified at the level of 0.3 mm posterior from the bregma in rat brain that divides the right ischemic hemisphere into two subregions (ischemic core [IC]; ischemic boundary zone [IBZ]). Abbreviation: RW: running wheel; MCAO: middle cerebral artery occlusion; DMEM: Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium; BDNF: brain-derived neurotrophic factor; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor, IBZ: ischemic boundary zone