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Fig. 9 | Acta Neuropathologica Communications

Fig. 9

From: Compromised astrocyte function and survival negatively impact neurons in infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis

Fig. 9

Ppt1 deficient (Ppt1−/−) microglia trigger Ppt1−/− neuronal death. Wild type (WT) and Ppt1−/− neurons and microglia were cultured together 7 days, and stained with MAP2 and cleaved caspase 3 (CC3) to examine cell survival and neuronal morphology. a The percentage of CC3 expressing cells was statistically significantly higher in Ppt1−/−neuron/ Ppt1−/− microglial co-cultures than in all other cultures. In contrast Ppt1−/−microglia had a smaller impact on WT neuronal survival. b The percentage of Map2/CC3 expressing cells was highly variable within all cultures, although was significantly higher in Ppt1−/− neuron/ Ppt1−/−microglial co-cultures than in WT neuron and WT neuron/WT microglial cultures. c Neuronal soma size was significantly smaller for Ppt1−/− neurons across all co-cultures, compared to the soma size of WT neurons in either WT monocultures or WT neuron/WT microglial co-cultures. Neuronal soma size was somewhat reduced in WT neuron/ Ppt1−/− microglial co-cultures, but this difference was not statistically significant. d Ppt1−/− microglia do not have a detrimental effect on Ppt1−/−or WT mean neurite length. However, the presence of WT microglia had a beneficial impact in increasing Ppt1−/−neurite length. e Axon length in WT or Ppt1−/− cultures was unaffected by Ppt1−/−microglia, and the apparently beneficial impact of WT microglia upon axon length was not as pronounced as on mean neurite length. f The number of primary neurites was significantly lower across all Ppt1−/− cultures. g Secondary neurite number was significantly reduced in Ppt1−/−neuron cultures, Ppt1−/− neuron/WT microglia and Ppt1−/− neuron/ Ppt1−/− microglia co-cultures compared to WT neuron cultures and WT neuron/WT microglial cultures. A trend towards increased secondary neurite number was observed in Ppt1−/− neuron/WT microglial cultures. h The number of tertiary neurites was significantly lower in Ppt1−/− neuron cultures, Ppt1−/−neuron/WT microglial and Ppt1−/− neuron/ Ppt1−/−microglial cultures than in WT neuronal cultures and WT neuron/WT microglial cultures. (Data shown as Mean ± SEM using a one way ANOVA, n = 3; # represents significant difference to WT neuron cultures, + represents significant difference to WT neuron/WT microglia cultures)

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