Fig. 3

Macrophage/microglia recruitment to the outer retina following injection of NR58-3.14.3 and light damage. a, b At 0 day post-LD, there was a substantial incursion of IBA1+ cells and their ramified processes into the outer retina of PBS-injected controls, which was substantially lower in animals injected with NR58-3.14.3 (P < 0.05). During the chronic phase of degeneration at 7 days post-LD, the number of IBA1+ cells was further increased in the outer retina, although animals injected with NR58-3.14.3 had far fewer IBA1+ cells than in PBS controls (P < 0.05). For the inner retinal counts of IBA1+ macrophages/microglia, there was no change at either 0 or 7 days recovery for both treatment groups (P > 0.05). c–e IBA1+ cells invaded ONL with their extended processes in PBS-injected animals at 0 day (c, d, arrows), which was not apparent in the NR58-3.14.3 group (e). f–h Accumulations subretinal IBA1+ macrophages were observed in PBS-injected animals at 7 days (f, g, arrows), while the subretinal space was nearly devoid of these cells in NR-injected retinas. GCL ganglion cell layer, IHC immunohistochemistry, INL inner nuclear layer, NFL nerve fibre layer, ONL outer nuclear layer, RPE retinal pigment epithelium. c–h Scale bars represent 100 μm and d, g 25 μm. N = 11 per group at 0 and 7 days