[Experimental study on the proliferation and plasticity of neural stem cells in situ in adult rats after cerebral infarction].

Objective: To investigate the proliferation and plasticity of neural stem cells in situ in adult rats after cerebral infarction.

Methods: Cerebral infarction models of rats were made and the dynamic expression of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and BrdU/polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining.

Results: Compared with the controls, the number of BrdU-positive cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and hippocampus increased strikingly at day 1 (P < 0.05), reached maximum at day 7, and decreased markedly at day 14, but it was still elevated compared with that of the controls (P < 0.05); The number of BrdU-labeled with PSA-NCAM-positive cells increased strikingly at day 7 (P < 0.05), reached maximum at day 14, and markedly decreased at day 28, but it was still elevated compared with that of the controls (P < 0.05), and was equal to 60% of the number of BrdU-positive cells in the same period.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that cerebral infarction stimulate the proliferation of inherent neural stem cells in situ and most proliferated neural stem cells represent neural plasticity.