Thionine staining (A–D) of the contralateral (A) and the ipsilateral striatum after 30 min MCAO (B–D).

<p>Cells displaying aberrant morphology after 2 h reperfusion (B), major cell loss was found at 1 d (C) and a massive infiltration of microglia and astrocytes occurs at 7 d after reperfusion (D). MAP2 immunoreactivity (E–H) in the contralateral striatum (E) and neocortex (F). Absent MAP2 immunoreactivity in the infarct core at 1 d after 30 min MCAO (G). Attenuated MAP2 immunoreactivity in the ipsilateral neocortex at 1 d after 30 min MCAO (H). HSP72 immunoreactivity (I–L) in the contralateral (I), the ipsilateral striatum (infarct core) at 1 d after 30 min MCAO with HSP72-positive bipolar (arrows) and endothelial cells (arrowhead) (J) and HSP72-positive neurons in the ipsilateral neocortex (perilesional zone) at 1 d after 30 min (K) and 120 min MCAO (L). HSP27 immunoreactivity after 30 min MCAO (M–P) in the contralateral striatum with HSP27 expression in endothelial cells (M), the ipsilateral striatum (infarct core) at 1 d after reperfusion with an upregulated HSP27 expression in endothelial cells (arrows) and microglia (arrowhead) (N), HSP27-positive astrocytes (arrow) and neurons (arrowheads) in the ipsilateral neocortex 1 d after reperfusion (O). HSP27-positive astrocytes at 7 d after reperfusion in the ipsilateral neocortex (perilesional zone, P). Co-localization of HSP72 and HSP27 at 1 d after 30 min MCAO (Q, R), revealing co-expression of both proteins in most neurons. The framed area is enlarged in R. Scale bar A–Q: 50 µm, R: 20 µm.