Figure 1.
RGCs are highly resistant to axotomy-induced cell death in naked mole-rats. A: Representative images of uninjured (intact) retinas and retinas of mouse and naked mole-rat (NMR) at 14 or 28 days postcrush (dpc) after whole-mount TUJ1 staining. B: Quantification of RGC survival as shown in A. Quantification of surviving RGCs is represented as percentage of TUJ1+ RGCs compared with that in the uninjured contralateral retinas. In comparison with RGC survival in adult mice, axotomized RGCs in naked mole-rats show significantly higher RGC survival. N = 4 per group. *P < 0.05, two-way repeated measures ANOVA followed by Bonferroni posttest. Error bars, SD. C–E: Levels of caspase-3 immunoreactivity in intact retina and retina at 3 days following axotomy in mice (C) and naked mole-rats (E). D: Quantification of caspase-3+ RGCs. N = 3 per group.*P < 0.01, two-way repeated measures ANOVA followed by Bonferroni posttest. Error bars, SD. Scale bars = 20 μm.