Fig. 5: Astrocyte networks are plastic and differ from neuronal networks.
From: Astrocytes connect specific brain regions through plastic networks
a, Experimental timeline. P28, postnatal day 28. b, Diagram of the constructs in the viral mixture. c, After whisker trimming, the number of streptavidin-positive cells relative to the number of HA-positive cells was significantly reduced in corresponding barrel cortex relative to naive animals. n = 4 (naive) and n = 3 (trimmed) mice. Statistical significance (P value indicated on graph) was determined using the one-sided Mann–Whitney U-test (α = 0.05). Data are mean ± s.d. d, Three-dimensional rendering of a naive mouse infected with both constructs in a single injection. Streptavidin (magenta) shows astrocyte connectivity originating from the same region in which infected neurons (yellow, mCherry) reside. e,f, Horizontal (e) and coronal (f) virtual sections provide a detailed view of connectivity among specific regions. The magenta arrows highlight regions in which astrocyte connectivity was altered after whisker trimming; the yellow arrows highlight reduced neuronal dendritic arbours after whisker trimming. g–i, Images corresponding to d–f, respectively, in a brain from a mouse with unilaterally trimmed whiskers. Scale bars, 3 mm (g (right)), 2 mm (d, e, g (left) and h) and 1 mm (f and i).
