Fig. 3.

Microglia depletion in TG (CX3CR1CreER × B6-iDTR) mice and photoreceptor cell death after RD. Retinal microglia were depleted in TG (CX3CR1CreER × B6-iDTR) mice, and photoreceptor cell death at 24 h after RD was evaluated by TUNEL staining. (A) Evaluation of microglia depletion in TG mice. The nondetached retinas of TG mice, with or without tamoxifen (Tam) injection (i.p.) and at various time points after DTX injection (AC), were stained for P2ry12. The whole-mount images of midperipheral retinas from each quadrant were taken by confocal microscopy using a 20× lens. Z-stack images of the entire thickness of the retina were created by ImageJ for microglia counting. Consequently, four images from one eye were used for the quantification of microglia number. (Scale bars: 100 µm.) n = 3–4. ***P < 0.001; ****P < 0.0001, one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test. Representative entire retinal images are shown in SI Appendix, Fig. S3. (B) Quantification of TUNEL⁺ cells at 24 h post-RD with or without microglia depletion in TG mice. n = 6. *P < 0.05, unpaired t test. Nuclei staining, DAPI. (Scale bar: 50 µm.) Data are expressed as mean ± SEM.