Figure 1

Experimental design. (A) Schematic illustration of the imaging window and controlled cortical impact (CCI)-induced contusion and penumbra sites. (B) Timeline of the experiments for monitoring the cerebral microcirculation, including baseline recording. (C) For observations up to 14 h post-trauma, the mice were allowed to recover in their respective cages until the preparation for intravital microscopy (IVM). (D) Following an injection of either anti-CD18 antibodies or control IgG, the animals were subjected to CCI; 13 h thereafter, the mice were prepared for IVM. All IVM experiments ended with perfusion-fixation with paraformaldehyde and the subsequent removal of the brain. (E) The animals received either control IgG or anti-CD18 antibodies and were then subjected to CCI; 15 min or 24 h later, their brains were removed for histological assessment.