FIGURE 5.

Mertk^−/− mice with disabled RPE phagocytosis reveal subretinal microglia/macrophage infiltration. A, SLO (left) and SD-OCT (right) images of retinas from 3- and 16-week-old Mertk^−/− mice are shown. Bars indicate 50 μm. INL, inner nuclear layer. B, retinas of 6-week-old Mertk^−/− mice were stained with anti-Iba-1 and anti-F4/80 Abs. Inset shows one of Iba-1- and F4/80- double positive cells in higher magnification. Bars indicate 50 μm. C, epon-prepared retinal sections from 16-week-old Mertk^−/− and WT mice are presented. Red arrows indicate microglia/macrophages. Bars indicate 20 μm. IS, inner segments; OS, outer segments. D, qRT-PCR was performed with RNA samples collected from retinas of Mertk^−/− mice at 3 or 8 weeks of age. Fold-changes in expression relative to 3-week-old mice are presented. Error bars indicate mean ± S.D. (n = 3). * indicates p < 0.05.