FIGURE 8. BrdU⁺ cells differentiated and expressed mature photoreceptor cell markers after 7 days of α-AA injection in vivo.

(A–H) Orthogonal confocal images of retinal sections 7 (A–D) and 21 (E–H) days after α-AA treatment showing colocalization of BrdU⁺ nuclei with immunolabeling of the early photoreceptor marker Nr2e3 (A–D) and mature photoreceptor marker rhodopsin (Rhod) (E–H). (I–N) Retinal cells from α-AA-treated mice that were harvested at 21 days after injection were dissociated, plated in culture for 6 hours, and double labeled for anti-BrdU and recoverin. Arrows and arrowheads: double-labeled cells. Scale bars: (A–G) 40 µm; (H–N) 16 µm.