CXCL12 and ischemic stroke: Indeed, increased production of growth factors such as VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), G-CSF (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor), and SDF-1α/CCL12 (stromal cell-derived factor 1/chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12) in patients with ischemic stroke has been correlated with favorable functional outcomes and a reduction in the extent of pathological changes in the brain15,16.