Fig. 4.

FeCγ25 mice display an age-dependent loss of hippocampal neurons and increased sensitivity to excitotoxic stress. Sagittal sections from 4-month-old (top row) or >18 month-old (middle row) wild-type, Fe27, and FeCγ25 mice were stained with anti-NeuN antibody. (A–C) NeuN-positive cells from the CA3 region of the hippocampus. (D) Quantification shows an approximately equal number of neurons in wild-type and transgenic mice. (E–G) NeuN staining of area CA3 from >18-month-old mice. Arrows in g show the CA3 areas with neuronal loss in FeCγ25 mice. (H) Quantification of these data show an approximate 50% reduction in CA3 neurons in FeCg25 mice compared to Fe27 mice or wild-type. (I–K) NeuN staining of area CA3 from 4-month-old mice 3 days after being injected with a subconvulsive dose of kainic acid. Arrows in (K) show the loss of neurons in CA3 regions of FeCγ25 mice. (L) Quantification of NeuN-positive cells shows neuronal loss in FeCγ25 mice after kainic acid treatment. *P < 0.05, **P = 0.01, one way ANOVA (all data expressed as Mean ± SEM). Arrows point to areas of neuronal cell loss, n = 3 for all groups. [Scale bar in (A), 100 μm.]