Figure 7

Optic nerve (ON) histopathology and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) counts. The positive effect of S. aureus on optic neuritis was reverted in the Eap-deficient strain. Quantitative data for extent of demyelination (A), inflammation (B, C), axonal damage (D) and RGC counts (E). Animals infected with the wild-type strain of S. aureus (wild-type; n = 11), with the Eap deficient strain (mutant; n = 10) or treated with saline (control; n = 4); while for RGC counts (n = 18, wild-type; n = 13, mutant; n = 9, control), n indicates the number of eyes used for counting the RGCs), (*P <0.05; **P <0.01; ***P <0.001).