Fig. 2
β1 integrin inhibition greatly enhances microglial activation in the hypoxic spinal cord. Frozen spinal cord sections taken from mice exposed to normoxia or hypoxia (8% O2) that had received daily intraperitoneal injections of the anti-mouse β1 integrin function-blocking antibody or isotype control antibody for 4 days were stained for Mac-1 (AlexaFluor-488) and fibrinogen (Cy-3) (A) or CD68 (AlexaFluor-488) and fibrinogen (Cy-3) (C). Lower magnification images of Mac-1 and CD68 IF are shown in B and D, respectively. Scale bars = 50 μm (A and C) or 200 μm (B and D). White dotted line demarcates the GM (inside) from the WM (outside). Quantification of the number of morphologically activated microglia/FOV (E) or number of CD68 + microglia/FOV (F) after 0- or 4-days hypoxia. Results are expressed as the mean ± SEM (n = 6 mice/group). *** p < 0.001. Note that β1 integrin inhibition strongly increased all parameters of microglial activation in the hypoxic spinal cord