Fig. 4

Transplantation of NSCs induces Sema3A in the grafted site and AuNP@siRNA-Sema3A successfully inhibits the expression of Sema3A after SCI. Immunofluorescence analysis in composite tiled scans of transverse sections stained for glial scarring (anti-GFAP, Red) and Sema3A (anti-Sema3A, white). Astrocytic glial scar (AS) around the lesion center (LC). (A) Representative merged image of GFAP and Sema3A in the SCI group (top). Higher magnification in the LC (left) and in the AS (right) of the SCI group. (B) Representative merged image of GFAP and Sema3A in the SCI + NSC group (top). Higher magnification in the LC (left) and in the AS (right) of the SCI + NSC group. (C) Representative merged image of GFAP and Sema3A in the SCI + NSC + siRNA-Sema3A group (top). Higher magnification in the LC (left) and in the AS (right) of the SCI + NSC + siRNA-Sema3A group. (D-E) Quantitative analyses of the fluorescence intensity for Sema3A in the (D) LC and (E) AS. Results are the mean ± SEM; ^***p < 0.001. one-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test