Figure 3.
The LC dendritic field is more extensive and LC dendrites are denser in female rats. (A) Bars show the mean total area (µm2) covered by dendrites in the ventromedial peri-LC region. This area is more extensive in females than in males (n=7–8). (B) Bars show the mean optical integrated density of LC dendrites the ventromedial region. Compared to males, the density of dendrites in this area was greater in female rats. (C) Bars show the mean dendritic density in the dorsolateral peri-LC region, which was greater in females than in males. (D) Bars show the mean integrated density of TH expression in the cell body region of the mid LC (n=6–7). There was no sex difference in TH expression in LC cell bodies. (E) Representative Western blot of TH (top bands, MW = 58) and tubulin (bottom bands, MW = 51) from a representative male (left) and female (right) rat. Blots have been inverted and converted to grayscale for presentation. (F) Bars represent the mean amount of TH protein normalized to a tubulin loading control from LC punches taken from male and female rats (n=12). There was no sex difference in the level of TH protein. Asterisks indicate a significant main effect of sex (p<0.05). Number signs indicate a significant main effect of region (p<0.05). Data are represented as the mean (±s.e.m.).