FIG. 6.

Retinal apoptosis during endophthalmitis. C57BL/6J mice received intravitreal injections of either sterile saline or 500 CFU or 5,000 CFU S. aureus. (A) Representative TUNEL staining (×10 magnification) in C57BL/6J mouse retinas (red fluorescence signifies TUNEL staining). No apoptosis was observed in mice receiving saline injections. Very little apoptosis (i) was observed at any of the time points in mice receiving 500 CFU. High levels of apoptosis were observed in the inner nuclear layer at 24 to 48 h (ii) and throughout the retina at 72 to 96 h (iii) in mice receiving 5,000 CFU S. aureus. V, vitreous; INL, inner nuclear layer; ONL, outer nuclear layer; SC, sclera/choroid. (B) Percentages of TUNEL-positive cells in the retina. Saline, n = 2; 500 CFU, n = 4; 5,000 CFU, n ≥ 5.