Fig. 1: Microglia depletion worsens motor recovery and increases tissue pathology after 75 kdyne T9 contusion SCI.
From: Microglia coordinate cellular interactions during spinal cord repair in mice
a Experimental timeline. b–d BMS scores (b), BMS subscores (c) and horizontal ladder (d) data. e, f Eriochrome cyanine (e) and neurofilament staining (f). Scale bar = 200 μm. g, h Three-dimensional reconstructions of the lesions. Scale bar = 200 μm. i–l Myelin sparing (i), axon sparing (j), lesion volume (k) and lesion length (l) quantification. m, n Representative lesion epicenters showing microglia (P2RY12+ cells) and MDMs (P2RY12-F4/80+ cells). Scale bar = 250 μm. o–q Microglia depletion reduces overall MDMs (o) but enables MDMs to migrate beyond the central GM (p) into spared tissue (q). r Representative epicenter ventromedial white matter phagocytic MDMs (CD68+P2RY12- cells). Scale bar = 25 μm. s Microglia depletion increases the size of phagocytically active MDMs. t–v GFAP labeling along the spinal axis (t, u) and lesion epicenter (v). w, x Representative astroglial borders at the lesion epicenter Scale bar = 200 μm. y Representative ventromedial white matter showing proliferating astrocytes (arrows). Scale bar = 38 μm. z Astrocyte proliferation quantification. R, rostral, C, caudal. b–d Two-way repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc; b Group x Time effect: p = 0.0013, post hoc group effect: 21d: p = 0.008, 28d: p = 0.043, 35d: p = 0.0044; c Group x time effect p < 0.0001, post hoc group effect: 21d, 28d, 35: p < 0.0001; d Group x time effect p < 0.0001, post hoc group effect: 20d, 27d, 34d: p < 0.0001. i–l, p, q, u, v Student’s two-sided t tests; i, p = 0.001, j, p = 0.004, k, p = 0.0006, l, p = 0.002, p, p = 0.0045, q, p = 0.0009, u, p = 0.0095 v, p = 0.0007; o, s, t, z Two-Way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc, mean and SEM, n = 7 mice/group; o SS = 399.6, df = 13, F = 6.963, p = 0.0088; s: 10–20 μm, p < 0.0001; 20–30 μm, p = 0.025; 100–200 μm, p = 0.046; >200 μm, p = 0.0013; t SS = 459.4, df = 13, F = 38.21, p < 0.0001; z 0.6 mm rostral, p < 0.0001; 0.6 mm caudal, p = 0.0007; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; ****p < 0.0001. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
