Fig. 2

Clodronate-liposome-mediated ablation of microglia results in increased cell death and diminished neuronal survival in damaged retinas. Eyes were treated with 2 consecutive daily injections of saline or clodronate-liposomes and tissue harvested 4 days later (a, b), injected with NMDA at 4 days after clodronate-liposomes and harvested 1 day later (c, d), or injected with NMDA at 4 days after clodronate-liposomes and harvested 10 days later (e–g). Sections of the retina were labeled with antibodies to Iba1 (a), TUNEL (c), antibodies to Pax6 (green; e), or calretinin (red; e). The box plots in b, d, f, and g illustrate the mean, upper extreme, lower extreme, upper quartile, and lower quartile (n ≥ 6 animals). Significance of difference (*p < 0.05) was determined by using a t test. Arrows indicate microglia (a) or surviving ganglion cells (e). The calibration bars panels a, c, and e represent 50 μm. Abbreviations: ONL, outer nuclear layer; INL, inner nuclear layer; IPL, inner plexiform layer; GCL, ganglion cell layer