Stress does not affect the branching complexity of large dendrite-like processes of astrocytes but increases their packing density in BA astrocytes. A, left, A representative image of Alexa Fluor 568-filled astrocyte. Right, The 3D filament path skeleton (yellow lines) that includes the optically resolved dendrite like processes. B, Sholl profile of astrocytes in dCA3: no significant change was observed in the arborization of astrocytes in dCA3 with stress. C, D, No significant change was observed in the volume normalized total filament length and total branch points of astrocytes in dCA3 with stress (control: N = 11 animals, n = 39 cells, stress: N = 10 animals, n = 32 cells). E, Sholl profile of astrocytes in BA: no significant change was observed in the arborization of astrocytes in BA with stress. F, G, Stress leads to a significant increase in the volume normalized total filament length and total branch points of BA astrocytes (Student's unpaired t test, *p < 0.05; control: N = 13 animals, n = 43 cells, stress: N = 11 animals, n = 40 cells). Bar insert, Number of animals and number of cells (in parentheses). Scale bar: 20 µm.