Fig. 5.

Immunoelectron microscopy of F4/80-positive macrophages in ventral roots of 6-month-old Cx32−/− mice. (A) A demyelinated axon (Ax) is in close contact to an F4/80-positive macrophage. Arrows demarcate F4/80-related immunoprecipitate. Note that the surface and the basement membrane of the Schwann cell (S; arrowheads) and the axon-Schwann cell interface are not labelled. (B) An F4/80-positive macrophage (M) has penetrated the Schwann cell basal lamina and contacts poorly preserved and partially vacuolized myelin (My). Note well preserved myelin of the fibres not in contact with the macrophage. Arrows demarcate F4/80-related immunoprecipitate. Ax, myelinated axon; S, F4/80-negative Schwann cell. Scale bars: 1 μm.