Journal: Nature Communications

Article Title: An injectable hydrogel enhances tissue repair after spinal cord injury by promoting extracellular matrix remodeling

doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00583-8

Figure Lengend Snippet: MMP-9 mediates fibrotic ECM remodeling. a Gelatinase activity of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in the PBS ( N = 5) and the I-5 group ( N = 4) examined by zymography. b , c Graphs showing quantification of MMP-2 ( b ) and MMP-9 ( c ) activity. ** indicates p < 0.01 by two-tailed Student’s t -test. Error bars represent the SEM. d , e Representative images of transverse spinal cord sections from animals injected with either PBS ( d ) or I-5 ( e ). Asterisks indicate cystic cavities. A yellow dotted line indicates the boundary of the FN-rich matrix. The boxed regions in the middle panels were magnified in dʹ, eʹ. Scale bars represent 100 µm. f MMP-9 immunoreactive granules were bounded by CD11b positive membrane-like circular structures. Scale bars represent 50 µm. g , j Representative images of transverse spinal cord sections stained with eriochrome cyanine and eosin from animals with I-5 mixed with non-targeting control siRNA (NC) ( g ) or MMP-9 siRNA ( j ). Adjacent sections were stained with antibodies against FN ( h , k ). Scale bars represent 200 μm. i , l 3D reconstruction of the spinal cord tissue using the Neurolucida software. Scale bars represent 1 mm. Asterisks indicate cystic cavities. m Quantification graph of cavity volume. ** indicates p < 0.01 by two-tailed Student’s t -test. N = 5 for each group. Error bars represent the SEM

Article Snippet: Three-dimensional reconstruction of the lesion cavity was done using the Neurolucida tracing software equipped with the 3D Slide Scanning Module (MBF bioscience).

Techniques: Activity Assay, Zymography, Two Tailed Test, Injection, Membrane, Staining, Control, Software

Journal: Nature Communications

Article Title: An injectable hydrogel enhances tissue repair after spinal cord injury by promoting extracellular matrix remodeling

doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00583-8

Figure Lengend Snippet: Interaction between macrophages and I-5 hydrogel. a Representative images of Nile Red fluorescence in a macrophage cell line. Cultured macrophages were treated with Nile Red (NR) alone or nanoparticles consisting of NR and either CP-2 or I-5. In addition, JNJ7777120, a histamine receptor 4 inhibitor, or mepyramine maleate, a histamine receptor 1 inhibitor, was added to the culture medium 30 min before treatment with I-5 polymer nanoparticles. Scale bar represents 50 µm. b Graph showing quantification of NR fluorescence intensity. *** indicates p < 0.001 by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc analysis. N = 4 replicate experiments per group. Error bars represent the SEM. c , d Representative images of transverse spinal cord sections from animals injected with CP-2 hydrogel lacking the imidazole group. c Eriochrome cyanine and eosin staining revealed prominent cystic cavities (*) at the center of the lesion ( c ). d FN staining showed a smaller area of FN-rich matrix. Scale bars represent 200 μm. e 3D reconstruction of the spinal cord tissue from an animal injected with CP-2 hydrogel using the Neurolucida software. Scale bar represents 1 mm. f Graph showing the quantification of the cavity volumes. The data set for the I-5 group was the same as the one used in Fig. . ** indicates p < 0.01 by two-tailed Student’s t -test. N = 8 for the I-5 group and N = 5 for the CP-2 group. Error bars represent the SEM

Article Snippet: Three-dimensional reconstruction of the lesion cavity was done using the Neurolucida tracing software equipped with the 3D Slide Scanning Module (MBF bioscience).

Techniques: Fluorescence, Cell Culture, Polymer, Injection, Staining, Software, Two Tailed Test