Using a rat model of focal photochemicallyinduced thrombosis, we demonstrated previously the presence of activated areas in the ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex surrounding areas of cerebral infarction. Using the same model, we next used the images of two-dimensional poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) analysis to screen key proteins upregulated in the activated area. 2D-PAGE and PMF identified Laminin receptor 1, Apolipoprotein-E, Enolase 2, Contactin, DnaJ and Glial fibrillary acidic protein delta as the main proteins. The results suggest that astrocytes, which seem to be related to these proteins, play an important role in behavioral recovery in this model.