Figure 5.

Confocal images showing appositions between microglial cells and neurons in the ipsilateral AVCN in control and deprived rats. In control rats, microglial cells with round or fusiform cell bodies and ramified processes were in close proximity to cochlear nucleus neurons (arrows and asterisks in A–C). The frequency of these appositions was particularly increased at 1 and 4 d after the lesion, when enlarged microglial cell bodies with short processes were frequently observed opposing the soma and dendrites of cochlear nucleus neurons in the affected side (arrows and asterisks in D–F). At later survival times after ossicle removal, the occurrence of these cellular contacts decreased (arrows and asterisks in G–L). Scale bar = 25 μm in L.