Unlike neurons and oligodendrocytes, β-dystroglycan rarely colocalized with pSmad2 in the absence of injury and after stroke, indicating that endothelial cells in adult brain seldom signal via pSmad2 in response to TGFβ (Fig 4C; see additional file 3 to confirm colocalization by 3D reconstruction). This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and stroke disorder.