Microglial dynamics after axotomy-induced retinal ganglion cell death

Table 2 Injured retinas

		Retinal nerve fiber layer/ganglion cell layer					Inner plexiform layer			Ganglion cell complex (GCL + IPL)
		Brn3a⁺ RGCs	FG⁺ RGCs	PMCs	Non-PMCs	Total MCs	PMCs	Non-PMCs	Total MCs	Ganglion cell complex (GCL + IPL)
ONC	2 days (n = 8)	75,987 ± 4210	80,459 ± 1552	11 ± 5
	5 days (n = 8)	42,656* ± 5111	67,302* ± 5901	3116* ± 740
	9 days (n = 8)	25,105* ± 5789	30,896* ± 1719	13,401* ± 2549
	14 days (n = 12)	10,639* ± 3150	15,755* ± 3359	22,404* ± 1863	2801 ± 350	23,206 *± 1070*	760* ± 132	4501 ± 546	5261* *± 404*	28,467 ± *1555*
	2 months (n = 4)	5457 ± 1724	8580* ± 385	10,497* ± 289	2375 ± 408	12,871* *± 374*	2343 ± 304	4694 ± 499	7038* *± 660*	19,910* *± 948*
ONT	2 days (n = 8)	67,466† ± 5539*	79,997 ± 1345	43 ± 8
	5 days (n = 8)	31,938† ± 4829*	54,290† ± 4136*	5025* ± 1058
	9 days (n = 8)	18,015* ± 4542	22,002† ± 1336*	19,842† ± 2534*
	14 days (n = 12)	5515* ± 1101	8627† ± 1433*	22,092† ± 3514	2258 ± 412	*24,351† ± 2193*	941* ± 211	4760 ± 801	5702* *± 792*	30,053 *± 2202*
	2 months (n = 4)	2708 ± 813	2983* ± 232	10,865* ± 584	3280 ± 685	14,145* *± 410*	3971† ± 125	3756 ± 356	7728* *± 332*	21,873* ± *415*

Mean number ± standard deviation of Brn3a⁺RGCs, FG⁺RGCs, phagocytic microglial cells (PMCs), and non-phagocytic microglial cells (non-PMCs, surveying and/or activated microglial cells that are not transcellularly labeled) in the same retinas within each group and time point. Total MCs is the sum of PMCs and non-PMCs
MC microglial cell, FG fluorogold, RGCs retinal ganglion cells, ONT optic nerve transection, ONC optic nerve crush, RNFL/GCL retinal nerve fiber layer + ganglion cell layer, IPL/INL inner plexiform layer + inner limit inner nuclear layer, GCC ganglion cell complex (RFNL/GCL + IPL/INL)
*Significant difference compared to previous time point (2 days or IPL 14 days vs. intact or tracing control retinas, Table 1)
†Significant difference between ONC and ONT at the same time point. One-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test, p < 0.05. The number of analyzed retinas to quantify GCL cells is shown in the second left column. For the IPL analysis, four retinas per group/time point were used
In bold font is shown the total number ± SD of MCs (PMCs plus non-PMCs) in the different retinal layers

ISSN: 1742-2094