Fig. 5

Microglial ablation alters neuronal markers as microglia repopulate the brain. Neuronal markers at 7 days after diphtheria toxin injection to ablate microglia in Cx3cr1-Dtr rats compared to wild-types (wt). a Hippocampal doublecortin (Dcx), neuronal nuclei (Neun) gene expression. b Number of DCX-positive cells in the subgranular/granular region of the dentate gyrus. c Number of NeuN-positive cells in the CA1, CA3, hilus, subgranular/granular region of the dentate gyrus (hilus: t₍₇₎ = 2.44, p = 0.044; n = 4–5). d Representative photomicrographs of DCX. e Representative photomicrographs of NeuN. f Hippocampal gene expression: Vglut1, Glua2, Glun2a, Cx3cl1, Cx3cr1, Bdnf, Nkt2, Cxcl10, C1qa, C3 (Cxcl10: t₍₁₁₎ = 2.80, p = 0.017; C1q: t₍₁₀₎ = 2.29, p = 0.048; C3: t₍₁₀₎ = 2.83, p = 0.018). g Synaptophysin density in the hilus (t₍₁₅₎ = 2.43, p = 0.028). h Post-synaptic density (PSD)-95 density in the hilus region of the hippocampus (t₍₁₃₎ = 3.87, p = 0.002). i Representative photomicrographs of synaptophysin. j Representative photomicrographs of PSD-95. k Apical and basal dendritic tree length in the CA1. l Basal dendritic tree branches in CA3. m Apical and basal dendritic tree length in the CA3. n Basal dendritic tree branches in CA1 (t₍₅₎ = 2.89, p = 0.034; n = 3–4). o Dendritic spine density in CA1, analysis per animal (bifurcated: t₍₄₎ = 3.60, p = 0.023; n = 2–4). p Dendritic spine density in CA1, analysis per dendrite (stubby: t₍₄₁₎ = 2.25, p = 0.03; bifurcated: t₍₄₁₎ = 2.95, p = 0.005). q Dendritic spine density in CA3, analysis per animal. r Dendritic spine density in CA3, analysis per dendrite. s Representative photomicrograph of Golgi-stained spines. White arrows = long-thin spines; hatched white arrows = filopodia; yellow block connector = bifurcated; yellow crossed block connector = stubby. *p < 0.05: Student’s unpaired t tests. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. d, e Scale bars = 50 μm. i, j Scale bars = 100 μm. q Left panel scale = 2 μm, right panel scale = 1 μm