Fig. 2

MSC transplantation improved neurological outcomes and reduced infarct volume in mice via maintaining BBB integrity following transient MCAO. a Photographs showed a series of coronal sections with Cresyl Violet staining following transient MCAO in the PBS- and MSC-transplanted mice. Bar graph showed the quantification of both groups. b IgG staining displayed that IgG protein leaked into brain tissue in PBS- and MSC-treated mice at day 3. Quantitative analysis of leaked IgG protein revealed that less IgG protein leaked into brain tissue in MSC-treated mice compared to PBS-treated mice. The images in square frames of graphs (below) were amplified as images (above), respectively. c MSCs improved neurological outcomes. MSCs significantly ameliorated neurological outcomes in the ischemic hemisphere at both days 1 and 3 compared with the PBS group. Data are mean ± SD, n = 5–6 per group. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001