Figure 4

Schwann cell, OEG and medium treated spinal cords at 4 months. Photomicrographs depicting the distribution and immunoreactivity for laminin-1 (A, B, D-K) and collagen IV (C, L-S) at the site of spinal cord contusion lesion with or without the transplantation of SCs and OEG. Areas of strong immunoreactivity for laminin can be seen to surround the areas of the transplanted cells (see arrow in D depicting DsRed-2 OEG). Laminin immunostaining does not appear to be co-localized on the surface of the OEG cells (see arrows in G ). Laminin is also found surrounding Schwann cell transplants (see H ). Arrow depicts the central core of the transplant. Laminin is very strong in the region of the Schwann cells (see I-J ) with the host spinal cord below the dashed line has reduced intensity of staining. Collagen IV immunostaining depicts a central core of staining close to the lesion site surrounding any surviving OEG (see L ) but labeled cells (see arrows in O ) are not co-labeled with collagen IV. Collagen IV immunostaining in Schwann cell transplanted spinal cords show intense staining surrounding and within the DsRed-2 SC transplant area (see arrow). In higher power the staining is mostly co-localized (see above dashed line) but some areas are not. Scale bars: 100 μm. Scale bar in A also serves C, D, H, L and P. Scale bar in B also serves E, F, I, J, M, N, Q and R.