Fig. 6

Non-neuronal glial cells are in close proximity to CSMN in the prpTDP-43^A315T mouse and to Betz cells in ALS cases with TDP-43 pathology. a–c Representative electron microscopy (EM) images in the motor cortex of WT mice. d A low-magnification EM image of motor cortex from prpTDP-43^A315T mouse shows degenerating CSMN (green), several non-neuronal glial cells within blood vessels (dark purple) and in the brain parenchyma (light purple). e, f Representative high-magnification EM images of glial/macrophagic cells (purple) adjacent to CSMN. g–i Representative EM images of the primary motor cortex (Brodmann area 4) isolated from normal controls showing blood vessels with few non-neuronal cells (dark purple). j A low-magnification EM image of the primary motor cortex (Brodmann area 4) isolated from ALS cases with TDP-43 pathology shows a degenerating Betz cell (green) with several non-neuronal glial cells in the vicinity (light purple). k A representative EM image of a blood vessel in motor cortex of ALS cases with TDP-43 pathology showing glial/macrophage protruding out (light purple). l, m Representative EM images showing degenerating Betz cells (green) in close proximity to glial/macrophages (light purple). n Graph represents average number of infiltrating cells around blood vessel per section in the mouse motor cortex of WT (black column) and prpTDP-43^A315T (white column). o Graph represents average number of infiltrating cells around blood vessel per section in the human motor cortex of normal controls (black column) and ALS with TDP-43 pathology (white column). BV, blood vessel. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.0001. Scale bar: a–f, h, i, k–m = 5 μm. f, i = 10 μm