RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the involvement of bone marrow stem cell-derived astrocytes (BMDSCs) in the formation of glia limitans after brain injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In a female SD rat model of brain injury, green fluorescence protein (GFP)-labeled BMDSCs from male SD rats were transplanted via the caudal vein 24 h after the injury. The rats were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the transplantation, and immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was performed to observe the astrocytes. The fluorescence emitted by GFP was observed to identify the presence of the bone marrow-derived stem cells, and the GFAP(+)/GFP(+) cells in the glia limitnas were detected under fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS The GFAP(+)/GFP(+) cells were found in the glia limitans between the brain lesion and normal brain tissue.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Bone marrow stem cell-derived astrocytes is involved in glia limitans formation after brain injury, which can be of significance in brain injury recovery and implantation of engineered materials.</p>