Fig. 12

Representative images of neocortex sections from the FITC-dextran-injected experimental groups, immunolabelled for GFAP. (a, c; cs 1.5) EAE-affected and (b, d; cs 1.5) EAE-affected MSC-treated mice sacrificed at 6 h (6 h) and 24 h (24 h) after MSC treatment. a–d At both time points, the neocortex BBB-microvessels show traces of FITC-dextran leakage as a fluorescent halo in the surrounding parenchyma (a, c; arrows); in contrast, no trace of leakage and diffuse fluorescence is detectable in EAE-affected MSC-treated mice (b, d); note, in the latter, the preserved/restored continuity of the perivascular astrocyte endfeet (b, d; arrowheads) that is apparently lost in untreated EAE-affected mice (a, c; arrowheads). TOPRO-3 nuclear counterstaining. Scale bars: a–f 25 µm