Fig. 5
Analysis of astrocyte activation and recruitment after PBI. Brain sections from TSG-6+/− and TSG-6−/− mice were analyzed by immunofluorescence. Astrocytes were identified with anti-GFAP (green) and the glial scar with HABP (red). Nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue). Z-stacks were captured of the entire brain section using the tilling mode, and images were stitched together using Zen software. Thereafter, the number of astrocytes was counted within the injury site, within the injured hemisphere and in the contralateral hemisphere of brains 3 (A) and 14 dpi (B) in a double blinded manner. The distribution of astrocytes throughout the brain sections shows that in TSG-6−/− mice the increase in astrocytes is not restricted to the injury site (C). Magnified images of the areas demarcated in (C) can be seen in (D). At least 3 mice were analyzed per genotype for each time point. * = p ≤ 0.05 comparing TSG+/− and TSG-6−/− mice