Fig. 5: Dopaminergic neuron morphology is influenced by GDNF PA scaffolds.

a Schematic diagram illustrating the procedure for cell encapsulation. This image was generated using Adobe Illustrator. b Three-dimensional reconstruction of a 500 µm-thick sample using multi-photon microscopy of cells encapsulated in PA scaffolds at 15DIV; the color scale bar indicates the depth at which the cells are located within the PA scaffold. 350 µm thick three-dimensional reconstruction of neurons stained with TH and MAP2 antibodies at 15DIV encapsulated in a 15 vol % Src PA scaffold (c) and a 15 vol % GDNF PA scaffold (d). Quantification of MAP2⁺ (e) and TH⁺/MAP2⁺ (f) neurons within PA scaffolds. Volume of the fluorescence signal of MAP2⁺ neurons (g) and TH⁺/MAP2⁺ neurons (h) within PA scaffolds; *p < 0.05; T-test; data are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean. Digital reconstruction of single TH⁺ neuron encapsulated in 15 vol % Scr PA (i) and 15 vol % GDNF PA scaffolds (j). Sholl analysis of TH⁺ neurons encapsulated in PA scaffolds (k); *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001; one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc test; data are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean. Quantification of TH⁺ neurite length (l), volume of TH⁺ fluorescence signal (m), number of neurite branching points (n) and terminal points per TH⁺ neuron (o); **p < 0.01, ****p < 0.0001; T-test; data are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean (experiments were done in triplicate, n = 60 cells).