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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Oct 1.
Published in final edited form as: Exp Eye Res. 2014 Aug 19;127:252–260. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2014.08.006

Fig. 3. Müller cell activation is pronounced in the aged 3xTG-AD retina.

Fig. 3

Retinal flatmounts from aged (18–24 M) NTG (A–D; I–L) and 3xTG-AD (E–H, M–T) mice were labeled for S100 (red; B, F, J, N), GFAP (green; C, G, K, O), and with GS isolectin (blue). In both the optic nerve head area (A–D) and the peripheral retina (I–L), staining in the NTG was confined primarily to astrocytes. S100 labeling extended more into the cytoplasm than at 9 M and the nuclear staining was less intense (B, J). In retina posterior to the superficial vessels, a few GFAP-positive Müller processes were visible (D, L). S100 labeling was more intense and the entire cell was labeled in the aged 3xTG-AD retinas (F, N). Müller cell endfeet could also be seen with S100 staining in these retinas. GFAP-positive Müller cell endfeet appeared dense and enwrapped blood vessels both near the optic nerve (E, G, H) and in the peripheral 3xTG-AD retina (M, O, P). Arrows indicate GFAP-positive Müller cell endfeet in flatmounts. Examination of NTG retinas in the cross sectional perspective, demonstrated that labeling for S100 (Q) and GFAP (S) was confined to astrocytes. By contrast, in the 3xTG-AD retinas S100 (R) and, more drastically, GFAP (T) were observed in the Müller cells as well as astrocytes. Some areas contained dense bundles (arrow) of S100 and GFAP which appeared to be both astrocytes and Müller cells. Scale bars indicate 40 μm.