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Fig. 2 | Journal of Neuroinflammation

Fig. 2

From: Osteopontin and its spatiotemporal relationship with glial cells in the striatum of rats treated with mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid: possible involvement in phagocytosis

Fig. 2

Spatial relationships of Opn mRNA and protein in the lesion core in the 3-NP-injured striatum. a–h Triple labeling for Opn mRNA, OPN protein, and Iba1 on day 3 post-lesion. The corresponding boxed areas in a–c are enlarged in e–h, respectively. Opn mRNA is expressed in Iba1-positive amoeboid-like brain macrophages, while punctate OPN-immunoreactive profiles are visible among the brain macrophages. Note the prominent OPN staining within the cytoplasm of Opn mRNA-expressing brain macrophages, and possible localization to the Golgi complex (arrowheads in b, c, f, and h). d Sections hybridized to a sense-stranded probe showed the specificity of in situ hybridization histochemistry. i–l Triple labeling for Opn mRNA, Iba1, and GFAP on day 7. In the lesion core, Opn mRNA is expressed in amoeboid-like brain macrophages but is weak or negligible in activated stellate microglial cells with thick and short processes (arrows in i, j, and l). m–p In the peri-lesional area, no significant labeling for Opn mRNA is observed in either reactive astrocytes or activated microglia with a stellate shape. Cell nuclei appear blue after DAPI staining. Scale bars = 20 μm for a–c and i–p, 50 μm for d, and 10 μm for e–h

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