IL4 and Stroke: To validate the differentially expressed gene sets from the transcriptome, we selected three prominent genes: two anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-10 and IL-4, in the GO term of inflammatory responses, and a neurotrophic factor associated with post-stroke recovery and neuronal plasticity, BDNF, in the GO term of nervous system development that are identified as significantly upregulated (>2 fold compared to the PBS control).