FIG. 7.

Synaptic protein density decreased in the rat cornu ammonis (CA)2 region 24 h post-injury, protection by the advanced hull design system. (A) Representative fluorescent images demonstrating the presence pre-synaptic protein bassoon (red) and post-synaptic protein Homer-1 (green) and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-stained nuclei in the CA2 region of the rat hippocampus. Scale bar is 100 μm. (B) Quantitation of Bassoon, Homer-1, and Bassoon/Homer-1 co-localized puncta density indicated a significant decrease in Homer-1 and Bassoon/Homer-1 co-localized puncta in the CA2 region of rats exposed to lethal blast intensity with no polyurea coating compared with sham (n = 5; *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01). Blast-induced impairment in synaptic proteins expression was relatively prevented by the polyurea coating mitigation system (n = 6).