Figure 8Figure 8
Disease-associated microglia interact with motor neurons in an NMO mouse model. ( A ) Representative immunostained images of motor neuron–associated (ChAT + ) microglia (IBA1 + ) in ventral gray matter of mice infused for 3 days with IgG infusion. Boxed areas are enlarged on the right. 3D rendering of boxed area in AQP4-IgG mice is shown as split confocal channels (lower right) and merged (lower center). ( B and C ) Quantification of microglia-neuron co-colocalization area ( B ) and volume ( C ) in A ( n = 6 mice per group in B ; n = 1,526 and 1,272 microglial contacts, respectively, for Ctrl-IgG and AQP4-IgG mice). ( D ) ImageJ analysis shows the percentage area occupied by Galectin-3 within contacting microglia is greater than in noncontacting microglia in lumbar cord of the 2 experimental groups. ( E ) Overlaid confocal images show microglial P2Y12 receptor (yellow), Galectin-3 marker of DAMs (cyan) contacting neurons in lumbar ventral gray matter of AQP4-IgG-infused mice, i