HGF and ischemic stroke: Recent studies have shown that HGF inhibits the decline in tight junction protein levels and reduces the disruption of BBB, thereby attenuating the brain edema that follows an ischemic stroke.28, 34, 35, 36 As expected, our results showed that HGF prevented declines in the occludin and ZO-1 levels and maintained integrity of BBB in the ischemic hemisphere at 3 days after I/R brain injury.