Figure 2.

Erythrophagocytosis by brain endothelial cells. Significant time- and concentration-dependent increase in adhesion (A,B) and engulfment (C) of t-BHP-treated RBC compared with PBS-treated RBC using light microscopy. Marked time dependent increase in engulfment of t-BHP-treated RBC by bEND3 cells indicated by red arrows (D). Brain endothelial erythrophagocytosis at 24 h was not associated with bEND3 degradation or loss (E). Significant increase in the amount of hemoglobin retained by the bEND3 cells incubated with t-BHP-treated RBC compared with PBS-treated RBC following 24 h incubation confirming erythrophagocytosis using the DAF colorimetric method (F). Data is presented as mean ± SEM of at least 3 independent experiments. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001. EC, endothelial cells.