Fig. 5

Lower spine density, neuronal alterations and pyramidal cell dispersion in the hippocampus of GL mice. (a-f) H&E staining (P15) of frontal hippocampal sections of CTRL (a-c) and GL mice (d-f). d, e Pyramidal cell dispersion in CA1—CA3 regions of the hippocampus in GL mice compared to CTRL. Lines emphasize smooth layering, arrows in d and e mark areas of cell dispersion. (g-j) Rapid Golgi Cox staining of the hippocampus for CTRL and GL mice. Representative images of CA1-CA3 hippocampal structure (g), hippocampal pyramidal cell’s apical dendrite length (h), dendritic branching (i) and spines of apical dendrite branches (j). Decreased apical dendrite length (p = 0.0286, Mann–Whitney test, n = 4 for CTRL, n = 4 for GL) (k), less dendritic branching (p = 0.0005, Mann–Whitney test, n = 4 for CTRL, n = 4 for GL) (l) and significantly reduced spines (p = 0.0026, Mann–Whitney test, n = 4 for CTRL, n = 4 for GL) (m) in GL mice. n Representative spine classification in DiI-stained apical dendrite branches of CTRL and GL mice. o Overall decreased spine density (p = 0.0143, t-test, n = 3 for CTRL, n = 3 for GL) with reduction of mushroom spines (p = 0.0170, t-test, n = 3 for CTRL, n = 3 for GL) in GL mice compared to CTRL. Scale bar in a is 200 µm for a and d; scale bar in b is 100 µm for b and e; scale bar in c is 100 µm for c and f; scale bar in g is 200 µm; scale bar in h is 50 µm; scale bar in i is 20 µm; scale bars in j and n are 5 µm. CA = cornu ammonis, DG = dentate gyrus; SO = stratum oriens hippocampi, SP= stratum pyramidale hippocampi, SR = stratum radiatum hippocampi, ML = molecular layer, GL = granular cell layer. CTRL n = 4, GL n = 4 for k-m; CTRL n = 3, GL n = 3 for o. ns = not significant (p > 0.05), *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001