Objective To study the protective effect of estrogen against neuronal injury and the possible roles of alteration in the expression of bcl－ 2 following cerebral ischemia. Methods rats were ovariectomized.Brain ischemia was induced by left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 hours, and 22 hours of reperfusion,all animals were killed. The cerebral cortex sector histology was examined under light microscope (both qualitatively and quantitatively). The expression of bcl－ 2 was analyzed with immunohistochemical method. Results In estrogen－ treated groups, the density of normal neruons were significantly higher(P<0.05);Estrogen increased the expression of bcl-2(P<0.05).Conclusions The neuroprotective of estrogen was associated with up-regulation of bcl-2 in cerebral ischemia.

Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Stem Cell Transplantation