Figure 7

Enteric neural stem cell transplantation restores intestinal integrity, promotes intestinal motility, and improves survival after experimental necrotizing enterocolitis. (A) Representative hematoxylin-and-eosin-stained histologic images of ileal sections from pups exposed to breast feeding, experimental necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), or experimental NEC treated with neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation. (B) Quantification of villous length, measured as the distance from the crypt neck to the villous tip using Image J software (NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA). Data presented as mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM), n = 6 animals in each group. *P <0.05; ⁺P <0.01. (C) Representative images of rat pups with methylene blue dye migration determined at day 7 after birth. White arrowheads indicate the most distal aspect of dye migration. St, stomach; Ce, cecum. (D) Effect of neurotransplantation on intestinal transit of methylene blue. Dye migration was measured as the ratio of migration distance/total intestinal length. Results expressed as mean ± SEM. Six to eight pups were used in each group. ⁺P <0.01. (E) Survival rate of rat pups after experimental NEC with or without NSC transplantation. n = 28, *P <0.05 for NSC transplantation group versus control medium group.