Fig. 6: Microglia regulate capillary diameter.

a Representative 20-µm-thick in vivo two-photon projection image from a CX3CR1^GFP/+ adult brain during longitudinal imaging with PLX3397 treatment (top) and withdrawal (bottom) showing microglial (green) depletion and repopulation with the preservation of the vasculature (magenta). b Quantification through the time of the depletion and repopulation scheme for all microglia and capillary-associated microglia as well as the proportion of CAMs relative to remaining microglia. n = 4 mice. c–f Representative two-photon projection image from a CX3CR1^GFP/+ adult brain during longitudinal imaging with a mouse fed control chow. Representative microglia (green) and blood vessels (magenta) in boxed regions in (c, e) are magnified in (d, f). Dashed lines indicate the capillary diameter. (g–j) Representative two-photon projection image from a CX3CR1^GFP/+ adult brain during longitudinal imaging with a mouse fed PLX3397 chow. A representative microglia in the boxed regions in (g) is magnified in (h) and depleted in (i, j). Dashed lines indicate the capillary diameter. k Quantification of percent change in capillary size following control or PLX3397 treatment. n = 3–7 capillaries from 11 to 13 fields of view from each of three mice. Data are presented as mean values ± SEM. *p < 0.05; two-sided unpaired Student’s t test.