The present study indicates that a combination of HPRT, 18S, and cyclophilin is the most suitable set of reference genes for analyses of mice subjected to ischemic stroke, while the combination of β-actin, cyclophilin, GAPDH and 18S is recommended as the most suitable set of reference genes for analyses of OGD/R-injured N2a cells. The gene discussed is ACTB; the disease is ischemic stroke.