Figure 1
Implant Diameter Comparison. Increasing implant diameter increases scarring at 8 weeks post implantation when implant modulus is held constant. Glass capillaries with diameters ranging from 150 μm to 400 μm were implanted into the rodent brain and analyzed at 1, 4, and 8 weeks post implantation. (a) The GFAP activity as a function of distance from the implant at 1 week. A slight decrease in the GFAP reactivity was observed directly around the implants for the larger capillaries. (b) GFAP reactivity at four weeks post implantation. GFAP reactivity was increased around the implant for 400 μm implants at 4 weeks post implantation. The GC400 group had increased scarring compared to GC200 and GC150 groups in the 100 μm surrounding the implant. (c) Representative IF images (scale bar (100 μm) of the GFAP reactivity at 8 weeks post implantation. (d) GFAP reactivity at 8 weeks post implantation. Increased diameter (200 μm and 400 μm) implants were found to produce increased scarring at eight weeks post implantation. **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference between cohorts at a given distance from the implant interface. ##p < 0.01, #p < 0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference compared to background. Cohort sizes (1 wk, 4 wk, 8 wk). GC150 = (11, 11, 18), GC200 = (6, 5, 7), GC400 = (6, 5, 10). Each n corresponds to an individual animal (biological replicate). A minimum of four sections were analyzed per animal.
