Figure 2. Rod microglia morphology and alignment post-FPI.

Representative images of Iba1-positive microglia in the cortex of sham-injured and FPI rats. Sham-injured microglia showed a sausage-like cell body but no polarization of processes. However, as early as 1 day post-injury the retraction of planar processes was evident giving rise to rod morphology. Rod microglia continued to retract their planar processes at day 2 post-injury, and by day 7 there were few planar processes visible. By day 28, the cell body had begun to become more rounded and planar processes were returning.