Figure 4

Reduced macrophage numbers in P0het mice lacking endogenous antibodies. (A) Immunohistochemistry against macrophages (F4/80) in cross sections of femoral nerves from 6-month-old wildtype (P0wt JHD+/+), single (P0het JHD+/+), and double mutants (P0het JHD−/−). Representative micrographs are shown. Dashed circles indicate the femoral quadriceps (q) and saphenous nerve (s). Scale bar, 20 μm. (B) Quantification of F4/80-positive profiles showing a significant reduction of macrophage numbers in femoral quadriceps nerve from P0het JHD−/− double mutants in comparison to single mutants. In the saphenous nerve, the number of macrophages is not increased in mutants (n = 4 to 5). One-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test. # (significant difference to P0wt), * (significant difference between P0het mutant groups). #, *P < 0.05; ##, **P < 0.01; ###, ***P < 0.001. (C) Quantification of foamy macrophages reveals an absence of phagocytosing macrophages in femoral quadriceps nerves from P0het JHD−/− mice (n = 4 to 5). Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni-Holm correction. # (significant difference to P0wt), * (significant difference between P0het mutant groups). #, *P < 0.05. n.d. (not detected).