Figure 7

Axonal damage is reduced in P2x7 brain. Serial sections were prepared from EAE immunized P2x7 null and WT mice at day 21 after immunization. At this time, the 3 WT mice all had clinical signs of 2.0; and the 3 P2x7 null mice had no clinical signs. Sections were stained with antibody SMI32 (for non phosphorylated neurofilament proteins, A-D) or to GFAP (E, F). Representative images show significant SMI32 staining in an area of the cerebellum from WT (A, C) mice, but little staining in a comparable area from P2x7 null (B, D) mice. Size bars are 100 μM (A, B) and 50 μm (C-F). GFAP staining (E, F) illustrates the differences in localization for GFAP and SMI32 staining. Asterisks and arrows are placed to indicate same location in images. ML, molecular layer; PL, Purkinje cell layer; GL, granule cell layer.