Fig. 4: 8-AG reduces the number of phagosomes in aged F344 rat retina.

Young (3 m), water-treated aged (24 m), or 8-AG-treated aged F344 rats (24 m) were euthanized, and eyes were isolated and processed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). a–r Representative TEM images of young, aged, and aged 8-AG treated rat’s RPE (a–c and j–l), photoreceptor’s outer segment (OS) disc membrane (d–f and m–o) and inner segment (IS) (g–I and p–r) at peripheral (a–i) and central region (j–r) of the retinae. a–c and j–l TEM images of RPE from the peripheral and central region, respectively, showing autophagosome (white arrowhead) and mitochondria (black asterisk). Scale bar, 1 µm. d–f and m–o. TEM images showing the integrity of photoreceptors OS disc membrane at the peripheral and central retina, respectively. g–i and p–r TEM images of mitochondria (black asterisk) in the photoreceptor’s IS of the peripheral and central region of rat’s retina, respectively. s, t Bar graphs represent the number of phagosomes and mitochondria, respectively, in the RPE at the peripheral region of young (black circle), aged (magenta square), and aged 8-AG treated (blue triangle) rat’s retina. N = 6–7. Each data point is from one TEM image. Data points and error bars are means ± SD, and P values were analyzed by Kruskal–Wallis.