Figure 4: Effect of CsA on SVZ cell proliferation/migration, and neural differentiation and infarct correlation 7 days post-stroke. Merged immunofluorescent images of Ki67+ proliferating cells (red) with either GFAP+ stellated astrocytes (green; A, B); or immature migrating neuroblasts (DCX; green; C, D) within the SVZ of the lateral ventricle (LV). Co localization with Ki67 can be observed within the SVZ of both treatment groups highlighting an apparent increase in the number of proliferating radial glial cells (Ki67/GFAP+) and little co-localization with immature neuroblasts (Ki67/DCX+). Merged immunofluorescent images of neural progenitor cell marker Nestin (green) and astrocytic marker GFAP (red) double labeling immature radial glial cells (yellow) within the SVZ can be seen migrating towards the infarct with little difference between vehicle (E) and CsA (F) treated groups. Greater colocalization of Nestin/GFAP+ (yellow) immature astrocytes was apparent within cortical border regions of vehicle treated animals (G) than compared to CsA treated animals (H). Scatter plots confirm no significant differences in the number of Ki67+, Ki67/ GFAP+, and DCX+ cells within the SVZ between vehicle and CsA treated groups (I-K respectively, ANOVA). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. *P<0.05 compared to sham-operated animals. Positive correlations were observed between infarct volume and the number of Ki67+ (vehicle: r=0.76, P<0.05, n=8, CsA: r=0.78, P<0.05, n=8; L), Ki67/GFAP+ (vehicle: r=0.75, P<0.05, CsA: r=0.94, P<0.001; M), and DCX+ cells (vehicle: r=0.76, P<0.05, CsA: r=0.90, P<0.005; N) within the lateral ventricle of the SVZ in comparison to the respective contralateral SVZ (Pearson product moment correlation coefficients). Scale bars A-H = 50 μm. CsA: Cyclosporine A; GFAP: glial fibrillary acidic protein; DCX: doublecortin; SVZ: subventricular zone.