Quantification of MPO⁺ and CD68⁺ cells in the ischemic penumbra and the core zone.

<p>Representative photomicrographs showing immunohistochemical staining for MPO and CD68 in the ischemic penumbra (A, D) and the core zone (B, E) at 24 h after reperfusion. Brown spots indicate MPO⁺ cells, the majority of which were present within the ischemic core vs. the ischemic penumbra for all five rat groups. (B, E) The majority of CD68⁺ cells were also present in the core zone. (C, F) Bar graphs showing the quantification of MPO⁺ and CD68⁺ cells. The numbers of MPO⁺ and CD68⁺ cells were significantly higher in both the ischemic penumbra and the core zone for group M vs. the other four groups, whereas no significant differences were found between groups A and EA. Quantitative data (n = 6) are given as the mean ± the SD. ^△P<0.05 vs. group S; ^☆P<0.05 vs. group M; *P<0.05 vs. group A; ^ΦP<0.05 vs. group EA; ^ΟP<0.05 vs. group ED. Arrows in (A), (B), (D), and (E) show the MPO⁺ and CD68⁺ immunoreactive cells. Scale bar = 50 µm.