Prevention of neuronal loss in the pyramidal layers of the hippocampus is further sustained in Atg7-deficient mice until 7 days after H/I injury. A–H: Frontal sections of Atg7-deficient (Atg7flox/flox; Nes) (A, C, E, G) and its control littermate (Atg7flox/flox) (B, D, F, H) mouse brains 7 days after H/I injury. H&E (A–D) and NeuN (E–H) staining. I: Evaluation of the area loss in the ipsilateral hippocampi of Atg7-deficient (n = 11) and littermate control (n = 12) mouse brains 7 days after H/I injury. The mean value of the area loss in the ipsilateral hippocampus was significantly lower in Atg7-deficient mice (14.0) than in their littermate control mice (48.8). P < 0.0001 (Mann-Whitney U-test) for the comparison of mean values between the two groups. Scale bars: 1000 μm (A, B, E, F); 200 μm (C, D, G, H).