Fig. 2. The percentages of M1 and M2 polarized microglia after spinal cord injury.

a Schematic diagram of the SCI model. The crushed SCI was induced at T8–T9 of the spinal cord in adult mice (8–12 weeks). The indicated tissue was then detected on 4 or 7 dpl. b–f Representative micrographs showing the flow cytometric analysis of microglia isolated from the spinal cords of Hemopexin knockout mice (Hpx^−/−) and control mice (Hpx^+/+) on 4 or 7 dpl. b Flow cytometric analysis of microglia isolated from the mouse spinal cord. Mononuclear cells were isolated, stained for CD11b and CD45, CD16/32, and Arg-1, and then analyzed using FACS. CD11b⁺CD45^low resting microglia (a), CD11b⁺CD45^hi activated microglia and peripheral macrophages (b), and CD11b⁺CD45^hi lymphocytes (c) are shown. g, h Percentage of M1 (CD16/32⁺Arg-1⁻CD11b⁺CD45^low) and M2 (CD16/32⁻Arg-1⁺CD11b⁺CD45^low) polarized microglia from the spinal cord of Hpx^−/− and Hpx^+/+ mice on day 4 or 7 post spinal cord crush lesion. Hpx^−/− and Hpx^+/+ mice were subjected to a mid-thoracic (T8–T9) laminectomy or SCI. The data are presented as the means ± SEM of three independent experiments, n = 5 per group at each time point. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.005 compared with the indicated control