Figure 2.
Cross sections of whole eyes from P1 mice labeled with anti-PDGFRα (light blue), GS isolectin (green), anti-pan laminin (red), and DAPI (blue). Shown are both merged images (A, E, I) and individual labels. In the WT retina (A-D), astrocytes (arrowheads) and blood vessels (arrows) extended radially from the optic nerve head (asterisks) but, with the exception of a few astrocytes on the hyaloid artery, were present under the laminin-positive ILM (C). In the Lama1nmf223 mice (E-H), astrocytes began migrating across the retina under the laminin-positive ILM (upward-facing arrowhead) but exited the retina once outside the peripapillary region (downward facing arrowhead). Blood vessels (arrow) were also present in the peripapillary retina. Individual optical slices taken from high magnification confocal Z stack images of the same area (I-L) revealed openings or breaks in the ILM through which astrocytes migrated. Astrocytes were seen in the retina (upward-facing arrowheads) and on the vitreal surface of the retina (downward-facing arrowheads) near a break in the ILM. The double arrow indicates the VHP, which in this area is devoid of astrocyte ensheathment. Scale bars indicate (A-H: 50 μm; I-L: 10 μm).