Figure 6.

Electron microscopy images showing the ultrastructural features of Iba1 immunostained cells in the ipsilateral AVCN in comparison to the contralateral side and control animals. In the control condition (A) and in the contralateral side (B) to the lesion, microglial cells have a nucleus with dense heterochromatin, a cytoplasm with numerous organelles and inclusion bodies. Note that multiple labeled processes (P1–P4) of different sizes and shapes are scattered in the neuropil. Between 1 and 7 d following unilateral ossicle removal, these cells have a larger cytoplasm and thicker processes rich in vacuoles and multi-vesicular bodies (asterisks) that were seen contacting nearby synaptic elements (C,D). A × 1–A × 2, axons; D, dendrite; N, nucleus; P1–P4, processes; T, terminal. Scale bar = 2 μm in A; 1 μm in B,D; 0.5 μm in C.