Figure 5.

TLR2 mRNA exhibited significant up-regulation at 2 weeks of age, primarily by microglia and macrophages. Results represent fold changes in mRNA levels of TLRs 1 to 9 in twitcher versus normal mice. A: Four twitcher and four normal brains were homogenized and qPCR was performed for each of the TLRs 1 to 9 at weekly intervals between 2 and 5 weeks of age. B: Confocal microscopy images analyzed with Volocity 3D imaging software version 5. Three-week-old twitcher hindbrain. Arrowhead indicates TLR2⁺/IBA-1⁺ cells. C: Five-week-old twitcher forebrain. Image depicts large bifurcating vessel with TLR2⁺/IBA-1⁺ cell. Arrowheads indicate TLR2⁺ cells. D: Five-week-old twitcher hindbrain. Arrowhead indicates TLR2⁺/F4/80⁺ cells. E: Three-week-old twitcher hindbrain. Arrowheads indicate TLR2⁺/S100⁺ cells. F: Five-week-old twitcher forebrain. Arrowhead indicates TLR2⁺ cell adjacent to Glut-1⁺ cells. G: Five-week-old normal mouse hindbrain. TLR2 immunoreactivity is not present. IBA-1⁺ cells are small, with few, narrow processes. H–J: Five-week-old twitcher hindbrain. Negative antibody control demonstrates no non-specific binding of the secondary antibody to tissues. Error bars = SD. ^∗∗P < 0.01, ^∗∗∗P < 0.001. Squares are 37.5 × 37.5 μm. Scale bar = 75 μm.