Figure 4: Temporal development of spongiform neuropathology during prion infection. | Nature Communications

Figure 4: Temporal development of spongiform neuropathology during prion infection.

From: Prion neuropathology follows the accumulation of alternate prion protein isoforms after infective titre has peaked

Figure 4

FVB/N mice were intracerebrally infected with RML prions and the mean incubation period was (in days±s.d.) 168±2.5. Mice were culled at defined time points or at onset of clinical disease and brain sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Spongiform vacuolation was absent in all mice at day 60 (a), present at a mild level in the thalamus and hippocampus in 3/10 mice at day 80 (b) and in 8/8 mice at day 90 (c). By day 140, all mice showed moderate and widespread spongiosis affecting the cortex, midbrain and basal ganglia, in addition to hippocampus and thalamus (d). (a–d) H&E staining in the thalamus. (a’–d’) Schematics showing regional distribution of spongiosis. The boxes correspond to the number of mice in each group and the dark shaded boxes represent the number of animals positive for the neuropathology described. Scale bar, 50 μm (a–d).

Back to article page