Figure 2.

Schema of astrogliosis gradient from mild to moderate to scar. In healthy CNS tissue, many astrocytes do not express detectable levels of the cytoskeletal protein, GFAP. In mild to moderate astrogliosis, most astrocytes up-regulate GFAP and hypertrophy their cytoskeleton but preserve individual domains. In severe diffuse astrogliosis, there is also proliferation (depicted by red nuclei). Compact astroglial scars are comprised of newly proliferated astrocytes with densely overlapping processes that form borders to damaged tissue and inflammation.