(A-D) GFAP (red), (E-H) Vimentin (red), (I-L) BRN3A (red) and (N-R) Rhodopsin (red) on GFP labelled BMSC (green) with DAPI counterstaining (blue) in the <i>Healthy+Sham Healthy+BMSC</i>, <i>Diabetic+Sham</i> and <i>Diabetic+BMSC</i> groups.

<p>In the <i>Diabetic+BMSC</i> group GFP expressing BMSC are observable throughout the retina, mostly in the inner retina. As shown in the pictures with arrow, GFP positive cells are coexpressing with vimentin, GFAP and partly BRN3A. GFAP, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; VIM, vimentin; RHO, rhodopsin.</p

The mean blood glucose levels of <i>Diabetic</i> group, <i>Diabetic+BMSC</i> and <i>Diabetic+Sham</i> groups.

<p>Note that the right eyes of the <i>Diabetic</i> group were injected with BMSC to create <i>Diabetic+BMSC</i> group, and sham to create <i>Diabetic+Sham</i> group. The blood glucose levels after the treatment with BMSC or Sham are shown as 4^th month.</p

Main study design.

<p>All rats underwent a baseline ERG which were labelled as <i>Baseline</i> group. Among these animals 46 underwent intraperitoneal STZ injection and were labelled as <i>Diabetic</i> group afterwards for induced diabetes, the rest did not receive STZ. Diabetic animals were followed for 3 months. At the end of the three months all rats received intravitreal 20x103 bone marrow derived stem cell containing solution into the right eyes and balanced salt solution into the left eyes to make up the <i>Healthy +BMSC</i>, <i>Healthy + Sham</i>, <i>Diabetic +BMSC</i> and <i>Healthy + Sham</i> groups. These groups underwent ERG analysis at 1^st week, 1^st week and 2^nd week after the intravitreal injection and were sacrificed thereafter.</p

Within the histogram of GFP-transfected cells, the green line shows non-transfected cells and the region(M1) to the right of the vertical line represents the GFP fluorescence.

<p>The transfection efficiency and mean expression level can then be calculated by the CellQuest Pro Software.</p

The representative mean OP waveforms of the <i>Baseline</i> group, <i>Diabetic</i> group (3^rd month), <i>Diabetic+BMSC</i> and <i>Diabetic+Sham</i> groups (3^rd week).

<p>BMSC; Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells, Sham; in this study 2 μL of balanced salt solution was intravitreally injected as Sham.</p

Main study design.

<p>All rats underwent a baseline ERG which were labelled as <i>Baseline</i> group. Among these animals 46 underwent intraperitoneal STZ injection and were labelled as <i>Diabetic</i> group afterwards for induced diabetes, the rest did not receive STZ. Diabetic animals were followed for 3 months. At the end of the three months all rats received intravitreal 20x103 bone marrow derived stem cell containing solution into the right eyes and balanced salt solution into the left eyes to make up the <i>Healthy +BMSC</i>, <i>Healthy + Sham</i>, <i>Diabetic +BMSC</i> and <i>Healthy + Sham</i> groups. These groups underwent ERG analysis at 1^st week, 1^st week and 2^nd week after the intravitreal injection and were sacrificed thereafter.</p

The implicit times of ERG components in all main groups.

<p>The implicit times of “a” and “oscillatory potential” waves were significantly prolonged in the <i>Diabetic</i> group at 3^rd month of induction of diabetes. <i>Diabetic+sham</i> or <i>Diabetic+ BMSC</i> groups did not have significantly different values compared to diabetic group. On the other hand <i>Healthy+Sham</i> and <i>Healthy+BMSC</i> groups did not have significantly different values compared to the <i>Baseline</i> group.</p

Vimentin expression in (A) <i>Healthy+Sham</i>, (B) <i>Healthy+BMSC</i>, (C) <i>Diabetic+Sham</i>, (D) <i>Diabetic+ BMSC</i> groups and GFAP expression in (E) <i>Healthy+Sham</i>, (F) <i>Healthy+BMSC</i>, (G) <i>Diabetic+Sham</i>, (H) <i>Diabetic+ BMSC</i> groups All slides were scored manually in a blind manner.

<p>The results showed an increased vimentin and GFAP expression in the diabetic groups possibly indicating an increased gliosis in diabetic animals, and a relatively reduced gliosis in <i>Diabetic+BMSC</i> groups.</p

The graph representing the ERG amplitudes of <i>Diabetic</i> group at 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd months compared to baseline and <i>Diabetic+Sham</i> and <i>Diabetic+BMSC</i> groups at 1^st, 2^nd and 3rd weeks of injection compared to the <i>Diabetic</i> group at 3^rd month of induced diabetes.

<p>ǂ, significantly more than the mean amplitude of the Baseline Group *, Significantly less than the mean amplitude of the Baseline Group OP1, Oscillatory Potential Wave 1; OP2, Oscillatory Potential Wave 2; OP3, Oscillatory Potential Wave 3; OP4, Oscillatory Potential Wave 4. SUMOP, The sum of all OP waves at measurement.</p

Table to compare the mean amplitudes of all groups.

<p>Table to compare the mean amplitudes of all groups.</p