GFAP and brain ischemia: By contrast, the expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) or acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 1 L1 (ALDH1L1), both are markers of astrocytes, in the infarct region increased in response to cerebral ischemia, while such an increase at 6 h after pMCAO surgery was reduced by EA pretreatment (Figure 2A,C,D,F).