Figure 5

Mapping cone photoreceptor outer segment loss with infiltration of activated microglial cells after Müller cell ablation. (A-I) Double labeling using peanut-agglutinin (PNA)-conjugated with Alexa Fluor-594 for cone photoreceptor outer segments (A, D and G, red) and an Ab against ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA-1) for microglia (B, E and H, green) on retinal whole mounts. (A-C) Images from a control (Ctl) retina. (D-I) Images from transgenic (TG) mice 7 and 11 days after tamoxifen-induced Müller cell ablation. (C, F and I) Merged images. Arrows in (F and I) point to areas of photoreceptor degeneration where degenerate cell bodies with nuclei stained blue protrude into the subretinal space. (J and K) Quantitative analysis of changes in PNA-labeled cone photoreceptor outer segments (J) and infiltration of activated microglial cells (K) 7 and 11 days after Müller cell ablation. ^*P < 0.01, TG vs. Ctl and ^†P < 0.01, 11d vs. 7d; unpaired t-test; n = 12–14 at each time point. Scale bars in A-F: 100 μm.