Figure A1.

Expressional patterns of Kir4.1 in the rat hippocampus. Typical photograph illustrating a double staining of Kir4.1 with GFAP in the hippocampal CA1 field. The hippocampal section was incubated anti-GFAP antibody (Progen, Heidelberg, Germany) for 24 h at 4°C and then incubated with a FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate; green fluorescence)-conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG secondary antibody (Sigma-Aldrich) or TRITC (tetramethylrhodamine-5- (and 6)-isothiocyanate; red fluorescence)-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG secondary antibody (Sigma-Aldrich) to probe Kir4.1 and GFAP, respectively. Immunofluorescence images were obtained with a confocal laser scanning microscope. Scale bar: 50 μm. All the Kir4.1-immunoreactivity (IR)-positive cells with the stellate-shape were double-stained with anti-GFAP antibody (yellow in a merged picture). Kir4.1-IR was occasionally found in a few round-shaped cells with no GFAP-IR [also negative to a neuronal marker, neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN)], which were omitted from the analysis.