Figure 4.

Confocal Microscopic Analysis of Apoptosis in Six-Week-Old WT and Rb cKO Ovaries

Representative micrographs showing TUNEL staining from WT (A) and Rb cKO (B) 6-wk-old ovaries. TUNEL-positive cells are shown in green; cell nuclei are shown in red (propidium iodine). C, Total and TUNEL-positive follicles and cell numbers were quantified in 10 HPFs (×40) per section, and three individual sections were quantified per specimen (three specimens). D, The number of follicles showing four or more TUNEL-positive cells was also recorded. The significant increase in the number of TUNEL-positive cells and follicles observed in Rb cKO ovaries is limited to the preantral stage. Results are presented as the average of the percent of positive cells per total cell number per HPF (apoptotic index) ± sem and the average number of TUNEL-positive follicles per section ± sem. Magnification, ×250. *, P < 0.05.