Fig. 3
Astrocyte and axonal alteration detected at the ultrastructural level in the optic nerve and spinal cord of NMO-rats. a, b Transmission electron microscopy on the rat optic nerve (D7, rat infused with IgGAQP4+3 as an example). a Loss of astrocytic processes in the NMO-rat compared to the Control-rat, as shown in the corresponding drawings of astrocytic processes (dotted line). A astrocyte nucleus. b Axon bundle disorganization and altered mitochondria in astrocytic processes in NMO-rat (red arrow). Altered mitochondria were also present in axon (Ax). c, d Transmission electron microscopy on the rat spinal cord, in the gray (GM) and white matter (WM): altered mitochondria in NMO-rat (red arrows) compared to the Control-rat c in astrocytes and d in axon (Ax)