Fig. 1

Organotypic cerebellar slices maintain host tissue cytoarchitecture and physiology. Confocal images show preserved cytoarchitecture in organotypic slice cultures prepared from P10 mice and cultured for 14 DIV. a Preserved blood vessel structure shown with CD31/PECAM-1 (red), endothelial cell marker. Images also show astrocyte (GFAP, green) staining throughout the entire slice as well as complete ensheathment of blood vessels with astrocytic end feet (higher magnification images). Nuclei stained with Hoechst (blue, merge image). b Images show a complete axon (NF, red) myelination with myelin (MBP, green). c Presence of immune cells shown here with anti-F4/80 antibody (green), a marker of microglia, mature macrophages, dendritic cells, and monocytes. Macrophages and monocytes align along the blood vessels as can be seen in higher magnification (×10 and ×40) images forming the BBB together with endothelial cells and astrocytes. Nuclei stained with Hoechst (blue, merge image). Images taken at ×10 (scale bar 100 μM), ×40 (scale bar 50 μM), and ×5 (scale bar 200 μM) magnification