Figure 2.

SDF-1 reduces the percentage of TUNEL-positive RGCs. Dissociated E6 chick neural retinas were cultured for 48 hr, fixed, and processed for TUNEL staining (red) and islet-1 expression (green). A representative field is shown in phase-contrast optics (A) and in fluorescence (B). Some islet-1-expressing nuclei are also TUNEL-positive (arrows). C, The percentages of islet-1-positive cells with TUNEL staining were determined in the presence or the absence of 100 ng/ml SDF-1 (p = 0.002). The average percentages of TUNEL-positive RGCs are shown from four independent experiments. p values were calculated by comparing each population with the untreated one using a two-tailed test with different variances. Approximately threefold more TUNEL-positive RGCs were detected in the absence than in the presence of SDF-1.