ChABC and GF treatments enhance the proliferation and differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) after SCI.

(A–D) Representative confocal images showing triple immunostaining for NG2, Olig2 and BrdU in injured spinal cord. To accurately identify OPCs among BrdU+ cells, we used double labelling for Olig2 and NG2 (Table 2). (E–F) Our quantification for BrdU+/Olig2+/NG2+ (arrows in D) revealed a significant increase in the number of OPCs after ChABC+GF treatments relative to vehicle (approximately a three-fold increase in 3 mm rostral point and a four-fold increase in 3 mm caudal point). (G–J) We also used BrdU/Olig2/APC immunostaining combination to mark and quantify mature oligodendrocytes after ChABC and GF treatments. Our analysis showed a positive trend for an increase in the number of newly generated mature oligodendrocytes under ChABC and/or GF treatments compared to vehicle at both 3 mm rostral and caudal points to the injury center (K–L). However, this increased level did not reach a statistically significant level. *p<0.05, n = 6/group.