FIG 6.

Estrogen enhanced the length of MAP-2⁺ processes in NPCs co-cultured with young adult astrocytes (a,b,i) as compared to co-cultures with reproductive senescent astrocytes (c,d,i). Arrows indicate individual cell bodies. In the reproductive senescent astrocyte:NPC co-cultures, significantly more of non-process bearing cells were observed. Thus, the percentage of MAP-2⁺ cells with no visible processes was significantly increased in reproductive senescent astrocyte:NPC co-cultures and was exacerbated with estrogen treatment (i,*). Likewise, estrogen enhanced the percentage of MAP-2⁺ cells with processes between 0.01 and 1.99 μm in length in young adult astrocyte:NPC co-cultures as compared to co-cultures with reproductive senescent astrocytes (i, **). Boxed regions in image (a-d) are enlarged to show process detail for young adult (e,f) and reproductive senescent astrocytes (g,h). Bars represent mean ± SEM of a single representative experiment with n=4-6 for each treatment group. Interaction of age and hormone treatment was statistically significant at p<0.05 and is indicated by (*,**). Bar: 50 μm (a-d) or 20 μm (e-h).